IN: So, I’m delighted to welcome back to the Toolstation Western League podcast, Tom Smith, the manager of Welton Rovers. I know it wasn’t that long since we last had you on, Tom, but we’re talking about the FA vase now and you were one of the big winners from the weekend, 4-0. You beat Elburton Villa, was the game as comfortable as the score line suggests?

TS: Well, the first half probably wasn’t that comfortable. I think it’s always difficult when you go away to an unknown team. Obviously, we had a little bit of knowledge, we played them the year before in the vase, beat them 1-0 at home. So, we had limited knowledge, but yeah, it’s always difficult. First half, you know, we got used to it, got used to the surroundings, grew into the game and then by the second half, to be honest, it was comfortable, and the lads deserve the victory and the margin that they got in the end.

IN: Well, you’re back to Devon in the next round, you’ve got Sidmouth Town on the 25th of September. I guess the fact that you’re away doesn’t necessarily hold any fear anymore because of that result that you had in the first qualifying round.

TS: No, exactly. To be honest, it helps that you get the coach journeys down, Welton are fantastic, they put on a big coach for us, and the supporters and it gives the lads a chance to bond on the way there and on the way back. And after a big win, like we had on the weekend, the way back, as you can imagine, is fantastic. So, no there’s positives and there’s negatives but it’s important as a club that we look for the positives. And like we said, you know, it is a good day for the club, it’s a good day for the supporters.

We’ve got to back our footballing ability and our squad whether we’re home or away, which we do. Yeah, hopefully, down in Sidmouth, which is going to be a tough task, but hopefully we can progress like we did on Saturday.

IN: Let’s talk about those positives and the negatives because, of course, you’ve been going really, really well in the league. Are you worried at all that this cup adventure, or this vase adventure, could derail your league form?

TS: No, not at all. I think, you know, we just want to play football. We’ve had a long time, the last couple of years for everyone has been difficult, lack of games, games being cancelled. I don’t think ... you know, availability needs to work on a little bit and you need to make sure that you’ve got the people available and make sure that people aren’t too tired, but we’ve got a decent squad, we’ve got people champing at the bit to try and get into the starting eleven, and into the squad. So, for us it’s a brilliant chance maybe to have a look at a couple, but also progress and propel the club into a little bit of prize money, maybe not a lot, but it helps out a little bit and give the boys good cup run, which is really important. So, no, as far as I’m concerned, we will go as far as we possibly can in the cup and hopefully that’ll take us to a successful place.

IN: Because of course, when we get to the pointy end of the vase, people like me really like to stoke up the interest of those clubs that are gonna do well. I mean, Bitton, of course, a couple of seasons ago got through to the semi-finals and we were really hoping that we’d see a Western League club get all the way to Wembley, which would be fantastic. But it’s not unheard of for a club at step six to punch well above its weight. And you have been doing well enough this season, certainly in the Western League First Division to be in that conversation. I guess if you had to choose between one or the other, well you tell me, it would be interesting to know which one you’d go with, whether it would be the vase or the league, but actually, do you dare to dream?

TS: I think it’s important that you do, I think it is important you always strive to be the best that the team can be, as cliche as it is. But I mean, if I had to choose one, I mean, I’m choosing the league. My point of view, I want Welton to progress as a club, I want us to be playing as high as we possibly can. My first and foremost, you know when I’m thinking of what we need to achieve this year, I’m thinking of where we need to be in the league, but there’s no excuse for not giving everything you’ve got to look up. We will and hopefully we can go as far as we can, but it’s a long, long way. We’ve won one game, so we’ve got a lot of games to play, hopefully. But it is exciting times, I think cup football anything can happen, like you said it’s not unheard of from our step going on to achieve great things. So, hopefully we can do the same, but it’s important to stay grounded, take each game at a time and there’s no reason at all whatsoever we can’t concentrate on both competitions with equal amounts if you get what I mean.

IN: You are absolutely right, of course, because let’s stay grounded. You’ve made a great start to this season, but there’s been a couple of blips along the way. You were rocked by Tytherington, and you were held to a draw by Gillingham, so it’s not all been plain sailing for you, has it?

TS: Definitely not, I think ... when we spoke earlier in the year, we said how any team in this league can take points off of anyone. That’s become very apparent over the last couple of months. I’ve said to the boys; when you’re top of the league and long may it continue, hopefully, but when you’re top of the league it’s a cup final for every team. We’ve got to treat it exactly the same and, you know, we played against Tytherington, I actually thought they played really well. It was new surroundings for us and for the boys and we adapted, and with the chances we had on goal I still think we should have taken three, but it’s not always going to work out that way. And it’s important to make sure that we fall forward and when we don’t get maybe the maximum that we’re hoping for, we learn from that and take into the next week. Which is what we did, we took it from Tytherington to Elburton. Again, new surroundings, we were a much better unit than what we were at Tytherington, but there’s going to be speed humps all the way we’ve just got to make sure we ride them well, and like I said earlier, fall forward as a team and make sure we keep aggressive.

IN: Well one of those speed humps could easily be Warminster. Warminster away is never an easy game, Andy Crabtree has turned them into a very, very good side. And of course, they’re very well supported. So, that’s going to be a real test for you.

TS: Yeah, of course, I think, you know, there’s games that I highlight, that I think, stereotypically, are always going to be difficult games. We had one at home to Cheddar a couple of weeks ago, and this is another one. And I think, if we don’t turn up in the right frame of mind, and ready to take the three points, anything can happen. Andy Crabtree’s a manager with great experience, and they’ve got a great team, got some really good players out there. So no, it’s gonna be really interesting battle but to be honest with you, it’s the sort of game at the minute that we’re really looking forward to. And it’s the sort of game at the minute that’s our lads are really turning up for, so I think tomorrow night’s going to be a fantastic spectacle.

IN: Well then, of course, on Saturday, you’ve got Portishead. Now you’ve got them at West Clewes, how important is your home support this season? Because you’ve really been putting on a show for them, and we know that if the people of Midsomer Norton, you know, when they get into them, they really love coming to support you.

TS: Yeah, they do. That was one of my biggest things taking over Welton when I took the job originally was, I’m a Norton boy, I’ve lived in Norton my whole life. I know a lot of people that support Welton, they want to support a team as any club that’s doing well. And luckily, we’re giving them something to cheer about, we’re battling hard and we’re making it a fortress. I think we’re yet to concede a goal at home, which is a fantastic record for us and something that we hope we can prolong for as long as possible. But you know, the feedback I’m getting from the fans, from the people who spend a lot of money and time at the club, they’re buzzing and they’re happy with what we’re doing at the minute and to be honest with you, that’s the main thing. When I’m hearing reports, and I’m hearing comments like I’m hearing at the moment, that’s exactly where we want to be and long may it continue.

IN: Tom, thank you very much for your time.