AFC Totton
MIDWAY THROUGH HIS FIRST SEASON with the club, AFC Totton’s Director of Football JAMES BEATTIE sat down with Matchday Programme Editor Ben Rochey-Adams to discuss his thoughts on the first half of the 2024/25 campaign and how he has found the role.
Q: What have you made of AFC Totton’s season so far?
A: I think we’ve done well, so far. Jimmy’s assembled a very strong squad that’s capable of challenging for the league. We have a reputation for being a moneybags club but I can tell you that ours is not the biggest budget in the league; I know of utility players at some other clubs who are on more than our highest earners. But despite that, we’re right up there with a good chance of winning promotion. We’ve had several good results and a few disappointing ones, but the key to consistency is to deal with wins and defeats in the same way, and to stick to your football principals. Jimmy does that very well and from that point of view, it’s a good dressing room — the sort I would have liked to have been part of when I was still playing the game.
Q: Can you describe your role as Director of Football? What does it involve, day-to-day?
A: I’m heavily involved in the playing side, which includes identifying talented players and initiating contact with other clubs when we want to discuss potential transfers. That part of it is very enjoyable and has gone well for us, this season. It’s usually a case of sitting down with Jimmy to discuss what we need to strengthen the team. We both use our contacts and knowledge of players we’ve seen to identify suitable targets and then it’s down to me to begin that conversation with the other club. If that goes well, then I will also make contact with the player himself, and we start the process of promoting the club and persuading him that this is the place to come to further his footballing career.
Q: You’re obviously a well-known figure within English football. Do you find that your fame opens doors for you, making other clubs more willing to take your calls?
A: I don’t think it’s really about fame — I hope, at least, that it has more to do with building strong relationships with people who recognise my football expertise and learn to trust me as an individual, and as someone who always has the best interests of the players themselves in mind. Every where I’ve gone with AFC Totton, though, I have always received a positive reception from the opposition club and even from the fans. Havant & Waterlooville, for example, is not necessarily the friendliest place for a former Saints player to visit but I was given a very warm reception when we played there in the league in August.
Q: Our Club Secretary Richard Matthews told me that you played a big part in securing the loan signing of Ben Seymour from Torquay United. So, as an example, can you talk me through how that deal came about?
A: Jimmy and I were talking about the attacking qualities in our squad and we agreed that we needed something a bit different to add another dimension to our attacking play. Jimmy already knew about Ben Seymour, so he asked me to take a good look at him and let me know what I thought about the player. I did that and I liked what I saw in Ben, so then I made contact with his manager at Torquay United, who is Paul Wootton, a former Southampton player who I know more from my days working in League One and League Two at clubs like Sheffield United and Accrington Stanley. I spoke to Paul and asked whether Ben would be avaliable for loan, and he said “yes”. I also spoke to other coaches I know who have worked with Ben in the past, and got glowing reviews about his character and how hard he works in training, which is always an important part of the process of bringing in a new player. Then it was a case of selling the move to Ben, and we were fortunate in that he had played alongside Roddy Collins at Torquay, so he had somebody he trusted who he could talk to find out more about AFC Totton. Once Ben gave the thumbs up and the Board approved the financial terms of the deal, it’s over to the club secretaries to complete the player’s registration. It’s fortunate that Ben has relatives in the New Forest who he can stay with when he’s not using the accommodation on-site, which should help him to settle in quickly.
Q: How does the job as Director of Football compare to the expectations you had when you began doing it?
A: I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, to be honest. The job title can mean different things at different clubs, although I knew I had key skills to deliver both in terms of working with the players and dealing more directly with the Board, and I’m happy that the role has played out in a way that enables me to make an impact in both of those areas. When I started, Jimmy and I had agreed that I would leave the player side to him but as the season — and our relationship — has developed, he has brought me in to work with the players on the training ground for specific sessions, and we have good, detailed chats about the squad and what we can do to improve it in certain areas. I have also been writing reports for the Board to help consider making improvements to the club, which is me bringing in knowledge gained from working at other clubs throughout my career, as a player and as a manager or assistant manager and coach. That mix enables me to work at different levels throughout the club, and that’s really enjoyable for me — I wouldn’t like to have to choose between the two.
Q: How does this club compare to those other football clubs you have experienced during your career?
A: Very favourably, I would say. Jimmy has always said his aim is to make AFC Totton the most professionally-run semi-professional club in the country, and we are constantly striving towards making that objective a reality. And it really helps when you get positive feedback from visitors, whether they be from other clubs or sponsors, as to how much they have enjoyed their visit. It’s important the club’s hierarchy treat people well and they certainly do, judging by the many complimentary comments I’ve received from those who’ve been impressed by their experience of the club.
Q: Jimmy Ball recently surpassed a century of victories as AFC Totton boss. What are his biggest strengths as a football manager, in your opinion?
A: It has to be his ability to form and maintain relationships with the players. He’s a very open, honest individual; he doesn’t play games or mess about, he just gives it to you straight. He can be emotional at times, but he’s also very aware that he’s often dealing with young players and he makes allowances for that when the situation requires it. But he has implemented a set of very high standards which he then challenges the players to achieve and maintain, which they can only do through hard work and commitment to the cause, and he’s brilliant at persuading players who have already shown how talented they are to keep on striving to become better in any way they can. It’s not for everyone and some can’t reach those targets that Jimmy sets, but those who can will run through brick walls for him. He’s also a very good coach, working with players. Sometimes he will lead the session himself, and other times he will take a step back and let the coaching staff take the session, and as I’ve said, I’ve taken a few sessions myself, as well. One of the best things about working in football is that you never stop learning and Jimmy is very open to that in the way that he approaches the task and how he deals with the members of staff around him. He’s very good tactically and is always developing new ideas to give the team an edge, so he’s been a pleasure to work with and long may it continue.
Q: Of the managers you worked under during your playing career, who is Jimmy most similar to?
A: I would say it has to be David Moyes, which I’m sure Jimmy would be happy with given he’s such a big Everton fan. They’re both passionate about the game and capable of getting emotional, but they also know when to let things cool and allow an hour or two to go by to let others calm down. It’s a different era now; you can’t deal with groups of players quite as harshly as managers and coaches could when I was playing. We’re all a bit more advanced nowadays in our understanding of mental health and appropriate ways to talk to people, and I think younger people coming into the club are often less willing to be treated that way than in my day. Jimmy comes from that older era but he has adapted very well; he knows when to push and when to put his arm around a player to deal with situations in a more sensitive way, and I think that ability has been a strong contributor to the success he has managed to achieve in the game.
Q: The result against Frome Town wasn’t what we all wanted, but we’re still very much in contention for the Southern League Premier Division South title and promotion. How do you see the rest of the season panning out?
A: It’s only January, so nothing has been won or lost yet. We’re still in a very strong position. Merthyr Town still have to come here and get a result, but we’ll concentrate on them when we play them. Until then, it’s important that everybody in the club — the players, Jimmy, the staff, the Board, the fans, everyone — all get together and pull in the same direction to help the team get over the line. Winning this league is no easy feat, and teams of the quality of those we routinely meet week-in, week-out, aren’t about to just hand the title to us like results don’t matter to them. To win this league would be a real achievement; I believe we have a squad that is capable of doing it, and we’ll go on making changes here and there as we think appropriate and as long as we can get deals done within the club’s budget. There’s a lot still to play for and, although we do need to improve on some recent results, I’m still optimistic about our chances in the second half of the campaign. As long as we concentrate on ourselves, work hard and keep being honest with each other, then I’m confident that we will be properly prepared both physically and mentally to get positive results.
Q: Our win over Sholing just before Christmas saw you get one over on your former Southampton teammate Matt Le Tissier. That must have been satisfying!
A: Yeah, there are a lot of local derbies in this league, which adds that something extra to many of the games we play. I know that Totton and Sholing have a long rivalry stretching back over many years, but I was just glad to see the team recover from that early setback and find a way to win the game, and it was good to complete a league double over a strong side like them. Matt is somebody in football that I have a great deal of respect for, so there was no gloating or making fun about the result — I didn’t even text him, after the game. But it was nice to see him and catch up with him on the day. I’m enjoying my role with AFC Totton and I’m sure he’s getting a similar experience from what he’s doing for Sholing. I think it can only help local football when ex-pros are encouraged to go into Non-League and help clubs to improve. That’s what I’m aiming to do, here.
This article was first published in the AFC Totton Matchday Programme, 25 January 2025.
By Ben Rochey-Adams
Image courtesy of Harvey Gerring
