DK: I don't know which one of you wants to start us off by recapping that game.
KH: It weren't a spectacle, but obviously off the back of getting promoted, and which was an unbelievable feat from everyone involved, to put the cherry on the cake, to win a Premier Cup, it didn't matter how it happened and we got the job done. It wasn't a great game. It was slow tempo. They sat behind the ball. I know it's going to be said that they're sending off changed the game, but the outcome was going to be the same no matter what happened. And in the end, it became a little bit of an end-to-end training game, which wasn't great on the eye, but it's about the trophy, four in a row and a double. So we're all very pleased.
DK: Did your tactics come to fruition tonight, Tom?
TR: No, not really. I didn't think we were brilliant in the first half, to be honest. We got better towards the end of the first half, but obviously, like Kev said, the sending off does change the game. But I was still confident. And that's what we said at half-time. You know, we've been in the changing room a number of times at half-time, nil-nil, still felt we'd go on and win the game. Obviously, you know, them losing a player potentially helps us go on and win the game. But I still think we would have gone on and won the game. But we don't know that now. And at the end of the day, all that matters is you win the trophy. And I said that last year when we did the interview about, you know, is it going to be a spectacle? You hope it is. And, you know, you always hope the final's a great game and you play the best that you can and you win. But ultimately, I'd rather do ugly and win than play brilliantly and lose. So, you know, that is all that matters in a cup final. It just wasn't a great game, unfortunately, for people that watched. I don't think it would have been that enjoyable for the spectators. But, you know, from our point of view as a management team, you just want to win. And that's what we've done. That kind of is what we've done all season. We didn't concede again, you know, and we've found a way to win. So we've been very good at that this season.
DK: Did it seem poetic that it was Jamie to win the league and this cup?
KH: He scored, yeah, he scored the hat-trick, didn't he? And he scored again tonight. He's a player that obviously... It was Tom that... He got mentioned. He came to the club and we see something in him that was transferable to any level of football. And he's obviously got up to speed with it. He's got stronger. He's got to the pace of the game at the level we play at. And he's been sensational, to be fair. I know he had injuries, but when he's been in the team, he's contributed. He's not just scored goals, but he's brought the team into it and hold-up play was really good. So he's been a really good signing. So I'm pleased that he's got the goals. It just shows there's good players at lower levels that all they need is an opportunity. And we've just basically given him the platform to go and show what he's got. And he's done that. And he paid us with goals that he scored.
DK: How does it feel to both of you, personally, to have made double history in both ways?
KH: Yes, look, since I've come into the football club, obviously, as academy manager first.
And then, obviously, the upheaval of a manager losing his job, which is never nice for anybody. The best signing I made was convincing Tom to stay because he's a loyal man. And obviously, Wilks had brought him in and we had a conversation. And I'm thankful he stayed because it just works. We're different characters, but we get on like an house on fire and we bring different things to the party. And Tom does things that I can't do. And I do things that Tom can't do or don't want to do even. And it just works. We work so well. And I'm lucky to have Tom here. And the group of players we got to work with is a pleasure as well.
DK: How about you, Tom?
TR: Yes, I mean, to be brutally honest, when Wilks left, the first thing I wanted to do was leave because that's kind of how I'm made up. And that was my first initial reaction. It was Graham Emerson that made me sort of think about it, really, and then meet with Kev.
And once I met with Kev, really, to be honest with you, it's just like I've said before, he's a very infectious character. So, you know, Kev says about it being a good decision. It was a great decision by me as well because I thoroughly enjoyed working with him. And, you know, and I've always said, I've always felt we weren't a million miles away. But, you know, this season, obviously, to achieve the league promotion and then get the cup as well is brilliant. And the lads deserve a hell of a lot of credit for that and should be very proud of themselves, and obviously we're very proud of them. And hopefully the whole of the club is. And it's brilliant for everyone behind the scenes as well. You know, like I mentioned, Graham Emerson, Dave Clarke, Keith Nunn, you know, people like that, Cracker, Mark Easlea, do you know what I mean? Ken. There's so many people behind the scenes. Dave Hales, so many people behind the scenes that do a lot of work. And, you know, I'm really pleased for them as well, because, you know, we've had some tough times.
KH: For me, my driver was always Graham Emerson. Graham was obviously at the club when I first came here. He's been at the club forever and put a lot of time, effort, money into the football club. But he understands it. He's always backed us, me and Tom.
TR: Yeah, 100%.
KH: So what we've achieved is, for me, for Graham, as well as anyone else involved. But the club's as good as it is and as great as it is. And it's getting loads of publicity at the minute. It's because of people like Graham Emerson that build it from the foundations up. It's not silly with the budget. We stay within budget, but he's there if we need help. And he's the reason why we're having all this success.
DK: Four in a row, though, the third team to do it just seems fitting.
KH: I don't think anyone's won it five, but we're definitely up there with teams that have won it four times. So we're really proud of that. It's a competition that we take seriously.
We want to win every game we play. But the Premier Cup is one that we're proud of. We've obviously won it four times. And as much as we've got to deal with now, obviously going up a level is going to be tough. And trying to add one or two faces and the travelling we're going to have to do and the better teams we're going to come up against. We're still going to take this competition seriously and we're going to try and be the first team to win it five.
DK: It's the first of two trophies this week with the league title on Saturday. The continuation of the trophies.
KH: Yeah, I think it's important. I think you're always judged as a management team, as players. Everyone asks you at the end of your career, what have you won? And it doesn't matter what level it is. It's still difficult to win league titles. It's difficult to win cup competitions. Obviously, it gets even more difficult when you go higher, but it's still tough. And not too long ago, I remember the club had a nice brand new trophy cabinet put up in the boardroom that looked blooming empty. I ain't going to lie. But obviously, over the last three, four years, we've added a few trophies in there and we keep striving for more. It's still got a load of space in it. So there's still loads to learn and still loads to do and loads to achieve. But we've made a solid start on filling that cabinet.
DK: Do we start to call it the Horlock and Rothery trophy cabinet?
KH: Well, I won't go that far. We might lose the first six games next season, they'll be calling for our heads. So don't engrave that on there too soon. Football's fickle at the minute. We're the flavour of the month. Obviously, we've done really well as a management team, as a pair. The team have been incredible, but football can change quickly. So we'll enjoy it. We'll enjoy it. But then we'll start working hard, trying to prepare for next season.
DK: What's been the most pleasing moment? And don't say winning the trophies.
KH: I don't KNOW. I think the pleasing thing for me is obviously we discussed at the start of the season that our league form or league position had to improve. We've created history again. For me, the seasons before that have been really successful. The Premier Cup, the FA Trophy, to quarterfinals for Needham Market, the quarterfinals, two games for Wembley to lose to Stockport, who by the way are in League One now. The FA Cup run to get to the first round for the first time in the club's history was monumental. But we spoke and me and Tom said we want to improve our league position. We knew we were close, not a million miles away. We've added good players. The best squad, I think, or most balanced squad we've had, and it's proved that. Lads have took on board what we've done on the training pitch and Tom's done final third stuff and we're scoring more freely now. And all the little things and all the hours of work that we've done have contributed. And that's, for me, the most standout special thing is the progression that the group have made.
DK: What about you, Tom? What's pleased you the most this season?
TR: A lot of things, really. So one being proven right for me and Kev, because we always felt we weren't a million miles away. But obviously you sound a little bit delusional when you're 18th in the league. But I never thought we was a million miles away. I think the cup runs sort of told us that and showed us that. But I think the most pleasing thing for me is I think we made some decisions in the summer, like getting Patch involved with doing warm-up and doing a bit of coaching. Munno obviously coming back in the building. The signings that we made, so that's pleasing. And then for me, the other pleasing thing is just watching the players grow as individuals and as a collective and really showing what they can do consistently. I think that's where they deserve so much credit because I think that we've always known the players are good players, but we haven't been able to show that consistently. And whether it's the little tweaks that we made, whether it's the momentum from winning games or what, I don't know. But like I've said previously, Kev's said about it before about us being relentless. I think we've done that this season. We've been relentless. The lads have continued to turn up, whether it be at training or games, with a good attitude. And off the back of that, they're now reaping the rewards. Obviously, a trophy tonight. They're going to get another one Saturday and they really deserve it. They genuinely really deserve it. I know that's a bit of a throwaway comment and anyone could say that. But me and Kev see how hard they've worked and I really do feel they deserved it. But I think we've made lots of little changes, not monumental ones that have worked. And we'll have to do the same again this summer to be successful again next year, which obviously is what we'll aim to do. So, yes, it's just nice when you put things together and all the hard work that you do, whether that be us as a management team or the people behind the scenes, like I mentioned before, it's nice to then get success and hopefully everyone enjoys that success. Because like Kev said, it can turn. We know it can turn. It can change. So it's important that you do enjoy those times. And for me personally, Saturday's a day I'm actually going to enjoy for once because I don't enjoy it enough.
DK: How do we, obviously you're going to say go out to win the game, but how do we mark Saturday in an even more special way than it will be already?
KH: To be fair, I don't think it really matters what we say now because you've got that much writing up to do, mate. I'm not sure this is going to be ready to be printed by the weekend.
DK: It will be, trust me.
KH: I'm hoping people turn up in their numbers. Obviously, we had big crowds against Stockport in the trophy, in the FA Cup run. A lot of people have been through the turnstile, but not too often do they come in their numbers altogether. Obviously, we've got a group of loyal fans, not massive amounts. The young lads have made a big difference. I'm hoping they bring their drums. I'm hoping it's a big crowd. I'm hoping it's a nice game. I'm hoping it's nice weather and we can celebrate because what this group of players have achieved, and I've said it before, this season for me has been the highlight of my career, even when I was playing. So, I want us all to come together and enjoy and celebrate what we've achieved as a collective because I don't think it'll really sink inhow special it is until later years down the line. It's an unbelievable feat. A little team like Needham Market is going to be playing Step 2. And we've just won the fourth Premier Cup in a row when they'd only won two in their history. So, it's bigger than probably what people think. So, I'm hoping we can get a crowd there and celebrate.
DK: What, bigger than winning at Wembley?
KH: Yes. I suppose, obviously, as a career, as a footballer, that was massive for me. But the group of players I'm with here, obviously, being with Tom and the rest of the staff is special and it's something that is different to playing. As a player, you can affect it physically by running around more often than not. It was me kicking people on the pitch when you could. But it's different as a manager. I don't know, obviously, your head's there for the chop. And I've said it before, I get all the praise when we win. But I couldn't do this job without Tom. And obviously, we couldn't do this job without the group of players. So, it's about everybody. And that feels really special.
DK: And Tom, how do you see Saturday without giving much away?
TR: Me being me, it will put a damper on it if we don't perform, if I'm being brutally honest. So, I still will prepare for the game. And I'm hoping the players will. And I know Kev's laughing because that's just where we're different. I was still fuming after Stamford on Thursday when we turned up at training. So, for me, it's another game. But I am going to try so hard to just enjoy Saturday because it is an amazing achievement. And I want to enjoy it without being a grumpy little brat like I always am.
KH: If the deadline hadn't passed, I would have let them play. I'm not sure where I would have done that.
DK: So, the players got absolutely racked with fire in your belly at training then on Thursday?
TR: Not really. I didn't say too much. I was too busy moping about, really, to be honest. At the end of the day, there's going to be a drop-off because we've won the league. That's natural. I think that is natural.
KH: And the fact that they'd been on the beer...
TR: And the fact that they'd gone out Saturday and obviously enjoyed themselves. But, like I said, just for me, when you turn up to a game of football, you make a lot of effort to get there. You make a lot of effort in the preparation and you want to win. That's what football is about, isn't it? It's not about turning up. It's about winning. So, that will be the aim for Saturday. But once the full-time whistle goes, I'm going to try and forget whatever the result is and try and enjoy it.
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