Due to audio issues with the post match interview, please see below a full transcribed version of Phil Castiaux’s interview with Jon Shaw following the defeat to Brackley and the relegation from National League North.
Phil Castiaux: Jon, it’s a 5-1 defeat this afternoon, after getting relegated it’s been an emotional afternoon for everybody at Croft Park, just take us through the first half, 4-0 down, the performance must have been nothing like what you expected.
Jon Shaw: No, I don’t really want to dwell on the performance today because in the grand scheme of it, it’s not what got us relegated. We obviously had a great opportunity today with it being in our hands to give it a real go against a real good opponent in Brackley, but I’m sure some of the lads will know they didn’t put their best foot forward in the first half and, like you say, it’s not the performance we expected or wanted and its taken out of our hands and we’re relying on results elsewhere which didn’t come. We’re obviously emotional and I’d like to apologise to everybody associated with the club, be that the fans or the people in the football club, we’ve gone down on my watch and that’s on me.
PC: Second half we were brighter and created chances but couldn’t quite get into the game.
JS: No but look, over the course of the season its not the ‘goals for’ column that’s been a problem and its not the attacking play that has necessarily put us where we are. It’s the goals against column, its gotten out of control, 80 odd goals conceded. We’ve not defended well enough as individuals or as a team and that’s not just pointing fingers at the defenders, it’s at the whole team.
Look yeah we’ve conceded too many goals, and it’s created a situation again where the opposition has gone ahead by a couple of goals and taken their foot off the gas. Brackley went 4-0 up with a good defensive record, they know they don’t have to come at us and try to smash us all over in the second half, they’re focusing on just getting through it and looking after themselves for the playoffs. But, yes we did play some brighter stuff and again at half time as you can imagine the word “pride” was used quite a bit in the changing room, but it wasn’t enough and we’ve had to pay the price.
PC: What’s next? Do you start planning for next season immediately? Or do you take a step back to take in the emotions and move on from this?
JS: For months I’ve been wanting to plan for next season anyway, but obviously to do that we needed points on the board, so planning was put on the back burner until we found out where we are. We had to weigh up the options and make plans based on whatever division we were going to be in. Obviously we have a couple of ideas but at the end of the day, now we need to do a bit of both. Obviously planning for next season has to start immediately. The new owners have now officially taken over, so I’m sure they’ll have decisions to make and I’m sure I might be one of those decisions, you never know. But they need to plan now, the club really needs to start thinking about what we want to do next season regarding trying to get an immediate return, what that looks like, how we do that.
Personally, you have to find gaps in there to reflect. I reflect quite a lot, it’s what I have always done, “What could I have done more? What could we have done more? What could the staff have done more?” That’s why I take so much responsibility because I look at everything and ultimately bring that down to myself, so I have to find time to reflect.
In my 24 years in football, this is the first time I have suffered relegation and as my first season as manager it’s not how I would have liked it to have gone. It’s a big job in hand to plan and to get things right, to make sure that when we come back in July for the preseason then we’re already at full steam ahead, to make sure we start the season right and have a good season to get promoted back into the National League North.
PC: On the fan’s behalf and on behalf of the media team, for the fans that watch these interviews you have been incredibly well spoken today considering the circumstances and throughout the season and we wish you all the best for next season.
JS: Sometimes I get a bit of stick for how I speak in these interviews. I always try to stand in front and give an honest reflection of what I think of the game and the team performance, and today is no different. It’s my job. This is why I say it’s my responsibility. It has to be on me, and I have to be the person that fronts that up. I want everyone to know we have given it everything we have, we have tried. Whether it was good enough or not, which it clearly wasn’t, we did give everything to have a successful season and I’m just gutted for everybody associated with the club that we are here.