GIVEN that an orchard is a place given over to cultivation, there is a certain amount of nominative determinism about the Yellows’ new first-team coach.
Steve Orchard – Tiverton born and bred – has been given the task by manager Rob Dray of helping prepare the first-team for their Pitching In Southern League Premier Division South and Devon Challenge Cup campaigns.
He is also enthused by the club’s focus on becoming firmly embedded at the heart of the community that he knows so well.
He said: “I think your ambition is to always coach or manage at the highest possible level and I've known Rob Dray for about 15 years now, so when I had a conversation with him, I thought it was a great chance to come under his wing a bit.
“Obviously he's won this league and to improve the knowledge I've got already and add to it was a big factor”.
“After talking to [vice-chairman] Matt Conridge, I'm massive on the community and the plans they have been put in place for now and in the future are brilliant”.
“Really, for me, it was important that the town got someone got someone who is part of the town and born in the town to be part of the football club. That was a major factor.”
Steve’s extensive playing cv contains the names of England Under-18s, Torquay, Weston-super-Mare, Bideford, Willand, Bridgwater, Cullompton and Elmore, the latter two who he also managed, earning plaudits for his coaching prowess.
He said: “I’ve played under so many different managers. I think what you have to do is take little bits from each of them and try and get your own identity from that”.
“I've been very fortunate to have played under people that have been successful. I've played for Rob Dray, Craig Laird, Sean Joyce, Scott Rogers and Russell Jee. I've played under some very successful managers in the local area and you take little bits and add your own ideas as well.
“The biggest influence on both my playing and coaching career so far is former Tiverton manager and local legend Mike Southcott. Without his guidance and support, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
The club’s desire to build stronger links to the community and create opportunities for youngsters to play for the first team was appealing to Steve.
“This is my main reason for joining the club at this stage,” he said. “I was a manager, I've joined as a first team coach and, if we can get better links with the Under-18s, try and get some boys involved in the first team, that's massive.
“We have to give the boys the opportunities sometimes. They don't get the chances and they just need that. I will be pushing from my position to give the chances to youngsters and see how they get on. But it's not just the Under 18s – there's Twyford Spartans, Moors and Culm Sampford.
“I'd love to go in and work with their coaches and do a few sessions or try to build stronger links with them. So, for me, it's not just the 18s, it's the whole town”.
“Let's get this town back together again and let's get Tiverton feeling proud of this football club and the football club being proud of being in this town.
“Let's get this community feel back. Let's get the supporters back In, watching the game and having that link to people as part of the football club they know, so, when they come down here, we're all together and all on the same page.”
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