Academy midfielder Charlie Smy reflects on the season, including winning Suffolk U18 Midweek Cup.
DK: What did you make of the season from a team perspective?
CS: I think this season has been very good from a team perspective, mostly because of all the lads being 16 and coming into a tough men’s league and being able adapt fairly well to the challenge. The improvement from the start of the season to the end was quite evident as in the last 15 or so games, we managed to get some half decent results against some very good teams including wins over our rivals Sudbury and Leiston.
DK: How would you sum up the season from a personal view point?
CS: From a personal perspective, I’ve really enjoyed this season especially as it’s my first in men’s football. I feel that I’ve learnt a lot from my coaches and have experienced some very good moments with a great group of lads, such as winning the county cup at Colchester's stadium.
DK: Can you pick 4 highlights from the season (Res/U18s), what are they and why?
CS: The first highlight from our season I would say is our first reserve win against Dussindale, it was big 3 points and a great show of character from the boys. The second has got to be our fa youth cup run, as we beat some very good teams in the competition and were one game off the first round. My third highlight of the season was our county cup quarter final game against Lowestoft as we had a few key player missing for this game and were up against a strong side who we managed to beat 4:0. My fourth and final highlight for the season is pretty self explanatory as it’s the county cup final against Sudbury. This win was a great achievement for the boys playing in a great stadium in front of a good amount of fans, something I’m sure all of us will remember for a long time.
DK: How did it feel to be the first Needham side to lift the Suffolk U18 Midweek Cup and what did you think of the Final?
CS: It’s an unbelievable feeling to win such an important game on such a big stage and it’s even more special for the team being the first Needham team to lift the cup in the clubs history. The experience of playing in a great stadium like Colchester and winning is something everyone involved will always remember.
DK: What was going through your mind during the game/shootout?
CS: I tried to treat the game like any other and just enjoy being able to have the opportunity to play in such a big game in front of a decent crowd. During the shootout obviously I was a bit nervous but I backed the boys throughout and was obviously buzzing to get the win.
DK: How did it it feel to score a penalty in the final?
CS: It’s an unbelievable feeling and such a relief seeing the ball hit the back of the net.
DK: Did any games standout to you from this season?
CS: The main standout game from the season is always going to be the win in the final especially as we were 2:0 down and Showed great character to get back into the game. It was a very entertaining game with loads of different emotions , with us coming out on top and winning on pens.
DK: What targets do you have for next season?
CS: For the 18s, I’d really like to get to the first round in the fa youth cup and be able to play against a good pro academy team. For the reserves our target is to carry on our form from the end of last season into the start of next season seeing how high we can get up the table.
DK: Congratulations on winning a couple of awards at Presentation Night, how proud and delighted are you to have been recognised within your team?
CS: Yeah, its a very good feeling and is something I’m proud of. It means a lot coming from the team as well.
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