TULIPS: Captain insists it was a wrench to leave
IT might be assumed that leaving a club continually at the wrong end of the league table is an easy decision. Yet that is not what Andy Toyne found.
Last season's Spalding United captain shocked manager Richard Scott last week by announcing he was signing for Stamford.
But he insists that it was not a straightforward decision.
He told the Spalding Guardian: "Our poor season was a factor for me but it was still a wrench to leave.
"I do like the club and I really enjoyed my time there."
The Daniels' new manager - former Holbeach United defender Simon Clark - convinced Toyne to make the switch to the Tulips' closest rivals in the Evostick League.
The midfielder said: "He's really ambitious and I see it as an opportunity to be in a side challenging at the right end of the table.
"It's now up to me to work hard in pre-season and try to make one of the midfield positions mine."
Although still only 21, Lincoln-based Toyne has made an impression on the local scene, including a period at Bourne Town. And even though his two spells with the Tulips have been in struggling times, he is happy to declare that they have been the favourite part of his fledgling career.
He said: "I do like the club. I like the manager and some of the backroom staff. There are good people there like old Jack (Goddard, club president).
"The supporters were good too and I just hope they don't give me too much stick when I go back there with Stamford next season!"
Toyne believes the Tulips will improve under Scott and can put last season's nightmare campaign firmly behind them.
He said: "Obviously, as a team we struggled.
"It didn't help how we started in pre-season and there was a bit of confusion about who was in charge."
Toyne had been signed for his second spell at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field, but manager Alan Biley quit suddenly last summer and former Tulips player/assistant manager Mark Hone returned to take up the reins.
Toyne said: "Mark struggled to scrape a team together and as a result, we started a bit behind the other teams.
"Unfortunately we couldn't really change that start. At times we played some good football but didn't find enough results to get us away from the bottom of the league."
He added: "Richard Scott is a good coach and knows what he's doing. I think it will be a lot more structured and solid at Spalding next season.
"They are not going to be challenging for promotion or play-off places but if the club can avoid a relegation fight and get themselves into a mid-table position I think everyone would be delighted with that."
Toyne might not have too long to renew acquaintances with the side he has just left. If Stamford beat Lincoln United in their Lincolnshire Senior Shield quarter-final on August 10, they will host the Tulips on Tuesday, August 17.
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Thursday 02 September 2010
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