Win2Win Racing
24th May 2009, 20:40
Have you ever looked at Martyn Woolford's Wikipedia profile (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyn_Woolford)? I suspect it is about to undergo some major changes.
As I write, the photograph of the Scunthorpe midfielder is so grainy and indistinct that it looks as though he has been snapped by the paparazzi from several thousand metres. If the 23-year-old showed the same lack of focus in his football he would not have scored the winner for Scunthorpe in Sunday's extraordinary League One play-off final (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/8060955.stm).
Woolford drilled the ball low and hard past Millwall goalkeeper Andy Forde in the final act of a match that seesawed this way and that. It was no more than he deserved for a performance of immense energy and willing, scooting up and down the left flank in defiance of temperatures that hit 100 degrees.
His parried shot led to the game's opening goal and his low cross to Matt Sparrow saw Scunthorpe equalise at 2-2 before Woolford himself struck after 86 minutes.
Stood outside the changing rooms after the match, shirt and match ball in one hand, man of the match gong in the other, Woolford looked a little bewildered at being the centre of attention.
Asked again and again how it felt to score the winner, Woolford understandably struggled to conjure the adjectives to do justice to his emotions. The Yorkshireman said it was an unbelievable feeling; the thing that dreams are made of. Not surprising really, when you consider that this time last year the lad from Featherstone was still a non-league player with York City, not signing for Scunthorpe until late Augus (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/scunthorpe_utd/7550257.stm)t.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulfletcher/woolfordgoal_getty595.jpg
He joined the Minstermen in 2006 and before that had been playing part-time for Frickley Athletic while studying for a degree in civil engineering at Leeds Metropolitan University (http://www.lmu.ac.uk/) and working on a building site.
"It was not a tough decision to leave my job when I had the chance to play professionally at York and luckily it has now paid off." Woolford told me.
Clearly a bright lad with a good sense of humour - when asked about the temperature at Wembley 'Wooly' quipped that he is normally only ever on a sun bed in such heat - I also got the distinct impression that his feet will remain firmly on the ground.
"I will be training hard over the summer and I know that I have still got a lot to learn," he told me.
Attitude and an even temperament seems to be a big thing with Woolford. People who have followed Scunthorpe all season insist he settled into his new surroundings very quickly and has been one of the Iron's most important players this season.
I asked Iron boss Nigel Adkins whether he had been surprised by the speed of Woolford's progress.
"No," was the manager's instant reply. "He has flair and talent. He can cross, head, shoot and score but I am going to go with attitude as his biggest attribute."
Woolford did not start the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final at Wembley seven weeks ago (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7975143.stm), with Kevan Hurst preferred on the left side. Adkins pointed that out to me, even though I had not asked about it. I think that he might have been making the point that Wooly responded in the right way and earned his place in the play-off final.
Sunday's victory must have been incredibly satisfying for Adkins, who tasted relegation last season and a 3-2 defeat to Luton in the JPT final.
Immediately after that result Adkins resolved that his team would learn from their bitter experience. In the changing rooms he told them to bottle their emotions and use them as a motivation to ensure the season ended in promotion.
And on Sunday his team delivered. Scunthorpe played some wonderful, deft football that was extremely attractive on the eye. There was no hint that they felt intimidated by the huge and committed Millwall support - and it was Scunthorpe's turn to snatch a late winner.
"What a great day," said Adkins afterwards. "What an achievement. The players have responded after the defeat at Wembley."
Plenty will be made on Monday about the fact that Burnley are playing their 61st game of the season (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/8060970.stm) but Adkins pointed out Sunday's final was the 60th of a long and testing season for the Iron.
And the Lincolnshire club can now look forward to fixtures against the likes of Newcastle, Middlesbrough and West Brom (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/table/default.stm) next season.
It could have been a significantly different afternoon, however, but for one missed chance after 76 minutes.
Gary Alexander , a wholehearted lower division striker, had already scored twice - one of them a spectacular long-range strike - when he connected with a cross six yards from goal. The scores were locked at 2-2 at the time and it might well have proved to be the winner but the striker inexplicably headed wide.
It makes me wonder - what goal will Alexander see in his sleep tonight? The two he scored or the one he didn't?
More... (http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulfletcher/2009/05/woolfords_dream_come_true_at_w.html#088609)
As I write, the photograph of the Scunthorpe midfielder is so grainy and indistinct that it looks as though he has been snapped by the paparazzi from several thousand metres. If the 23-year-old showed the same lack of focus in his football he would not have scored the winner for Scunthorpe in Sunday's extraordinary League One play-off final (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/8060955.stm).
Woolford drilled the ball low and hard past Millwall goalkeeper Andy Forde in the final act of a match that seesawed this way and that. It was no more than he deserved for a performance of immense energy and willing, scooting up and down the left flank in defiance of temperatures that hit 100 degrees.
His parried shot led to the game's opening goal and his low cross to Matt Sparrow saw Scunthorpe equalise at 2-2 before Woolford himself struck after 86 minutes.
Stood outside the changing rooms after the match, shirt and match ball in one hand, man of the match gong in the other, Woolford looked a little bewildered at being the centre of attention.
Asked again and again how it felt to score the winner, Woolford understandably struggled to conjure the adjectives to do justice to his emotions. The Yorkshireman said it was an unbelievable feeling; the thing that dreams are made of. Not surprising really, when you consider that this time last year the lad from Featherstone was still a non-league player with York City, not signing for Scunthorpe until late Augus (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/scunthorpe_utd/7550257.stm)t.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulfletcher/woolfordgoal_getty595.jpg
He joined the Minstermen in 2006 and before that had been playing part-time for Frickley Athletic while studying for a degree in civil engineering at Leeds Metropolitan University (http://www.lmu.ac.uk/) and working on a building site.
"It was not a tough decision to leave my job when I had the chance to play professionally at York and luckily it has now paid off." Woolford told me.
Clearly a bright lad with a good sense of humour - when asked about the temperature at Wembley 'Wooly' quipped that he is normally only ever on a sun bed in such heat - I also got the distinct impression that his feet will remain firmly on the ground.
"I will be training hard over the summer and I know that I have still got a lot to learn," he told me.
Attitude and an even temperament seems to be a big thing with Woolford. People who have followed Scunthorpe all season insist he settled into his new surroundings very quickly and has been one of the Iron's most important players this season.
I asked Iron boss Nigel Adkins whether he had been surprised by the speed of Woolford's progress.
"No," was the manager's instant reply. "He has flair and talent. He can cross, head, shoot and score but I am going to go with attitude as his biggest attribute."
Woolford did not start the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final at Wembley seven weeks ago (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7975143.stm), with Kevan Hurst preferred on the left side. Adkins pointed that out to me, even though I had not asked about it. I think that he might have been making the point that Wooly responded in the right way and earned his place in the play-off final.
Sunday's victory must have been incredibly satisfying for Adkins, who tasted relegation last season and a 3-2 defeat to Luton in the JPT final.
Immediately after that result Adkins resolved that his team would learn from their bitter experience. In the changing rooms he told them to bottle their emotions and use them as a motivation to ensure the season ended in promotion.
And on Sunday his team delivered. Scunthorpe played some wonderful, deft football that was extremely attractive on the eye. There was no hint that they felt intimidated by the huge and committed Millwall support - and it was Scunthorpe's turn to snatch a late winner.
"What a great day," said Adkins afterwards. "What an achievement. The players have responded after the defeat at Wembley."
Plenty will be made on Monday about the fact that Burnley are playing their 61st game of the season (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/8060970.stm) but Adkins pointed out Sunday's final was the 60th of a long and testing season for the Iron.
And the Lincolnshire club can now look forward to fixtures against the likes of Newcastle, Middlesbrough and West Brom (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/table/default.stm) next season.
It could have been a significantly different afternoon, however, but for one missed chance after 76 minutes.
Gary Alexander , a wholehearted lower division striker, had already scored twice - one of them a spectacular long-range strike - when he connected with a cross six yards from goal. The scores were locked at 2-2 at the time and it might well have proved to be the winner but the striker inexplicably headed wide.
It makes me wonder - what goal will Alexander see in his sleep tonight? The two he scored or the one he didn't?
More... (http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulfletcher/2009/05/woolfords_dream_come_true_at_w.html#088609)