Rhys Westcarr held the number one position at Nostell Miners Welfare as recent as last season, following shortly after the now 20-year-old goalkeeper’s earlier graduation out of an academy system run by now owners of Yorkshire Amateur.
Westcarr provides an insight into Ammers’ opposition in the NCEL Division One on Saturday 17th August at The Welfare Ground, whilst recalling fond memories of his academy days.
Nostell manager Ian Walker’s departure towards the latter end of last season was compounded with Westcarr and several other teammates also departing, synonymous with a deterioration in results. Along with the manager, Chairman Kevin Allsop also resigned.
“Ian and Kevin decided to move on and everybody else followed,” began Westcarr. “A lot of players were only there for their relationship with Ian.
“During my time there, a lot of times clubs were putting seven days in and the players were rejecting it.
“Then one night we got a message off Walker saying it’s not feasible for him to do any more and Kevin will be going as well. Players like Boothy, Woody, Spencer, could have all played a lot higher but had respect for Ian and wanted to play for him. The majority of the team which has left have now gone higher”.
The single remnant of the Nostell side Westcarr played within is midfielder Tom Lavin.
“Ian [Walker] was a good manager to work under,” explained Westcarr. “He was very technical orientated. A lot of work was about how we wanted to play out, never really wanting to go long, with long distribution.
‘He wanted players who were football smart, could make quick, correct decisions. Who could get the ball down but there’s also the other side to the NCEL, where it becomes a game of tennis, he wanted players with experience to deal with that also.
“Ian brought him [Tom Lavin] in. Fast, good in possession, a good strike of the ball. Can cut inside or can put a good ball in – as well as that good footballing brain”.
Westcarr joined the academy system run by the now owner of Yorkshire Amateur when the ‘keeper was 16-years-old, having just been released by Oldham Athletic. He went on to graduate into the first-team of a National League North club.
‘I met with Lutel [James] after I got released from Oldham,” Westcarr reminisced. “Lutel used to play with my grandad and has known him years. We then arranged to sit down, had a chat. I progressed through the pyramid of the academy”.
A 16-year-old Westcarr was instated as the number one for the u23s’ side.
“I felt ready and Neil Ross had a lot of belief in me, working with me everyday within the u19s also,” said Westcarr.
That first-team experience introduced Westcarr to Russ Wilcox, the player & manager pair now reconciled at Gainsborough Trinity. Westcarr is currently on a dual-registration deal with Club Thorne where he has played four times this season before picking up an achilles injury which sees him sidelined for several weeks.
“Russ Wilcox got in touch with me over Summer, having worked together previously,” said Westcarr. “He’s got a really good relationship with one of the coaches at Thorne, who he worked with at Scunthorpe, said he’s a really good man-manager, great manager to work with. And Russ is in contact with him all the time. Russ said: ‘go into Thorne, work hard, train with us, play for them, and we’ll keep tabs on you for pushing into Gainsborough’.
“The goal at Thorne is game-time, fitness, getting to the highest level I can”.
Ammers face the new regime at Nostell, including familiar faces, this Saturday, 17th August.