Feature Interview – Tom Upton

“Playing for Fife has been hard this year I have to say, but I’m not going to leave this club, I’m here for the long haul,” says Tom Upton shortly after sitting down with club reporter Danny Walsh in the University of Chester’s coffee shop.

“It’s been a long year in terms of getting results, but I’m certain we will bounce back up next year by winning Division 1 and becoming a stronger team.”

Upton’s desire to speak highly of Fife who have struggled to reach manager Andy Fannon’s expectations of staying in the league proves that the players are willing to come back a better outfit for when they make that return to the Premier League.

After dominating Division 1 last year and reaching Cheshire’s top flight league the question have to be asked as to where it all went wrong for Rangers. Was it too much of a change in standard for the club? Were the clubs new signings not up to the mark? Was it the loss of players at the start of the season? And perhaps most painfully, are the club just not good enough to play in the Premier League?

“I think all those questions have to be assessed definitely it’s important we look at those and see where it all went wrong for us,” says Upton. “Personally, I think there are many reasons, but I think the loss of the players at the start of the season was key because a lot of the players heads were down going into the start of the season and results weren’t going our way, it was all mixing together and affecting our play.”

It took till the start of April for Fife to register their first points of the season following a home draw with Sidac Social and such a feat is something which Upton experienced for the second time, as playing for University was also a tough experience for the centre forward.

“It’s funny because the exact same thing happened whilst playing for University this season, it was a real struggle,” he says. “We didn’t register our first points till around the same point as with Fife so it’s been bitterly disappointing on a lot of fronts for me this season.”

Having such a torrid time is something in which Tom has failed to experience throughout his footballing career for the lad who grew up in Stretford.

He grew up just a five minute drive away from Old Trafford and is a boy-hood Manchester United fan and long term season ticket holder.

“Obviously growing up seeing United was amazing and I always aspire to win each week mainly because I’m used to seeing United win and it’s what I’m used to seeing,” he says. “But you can’t win every week and it’s just been one of those seasons but I’m positive we will bounce back next season and show what we can do as a club.”

His career in football has steamed from representing his school at Knutsford High, a school in which professional Phil Jagielka learnt his trade, to local clubs such as Urmston Town and Old Stretfordians, both of which have a rich history of success.

“When I was a kid we won everything at those clubs it was amazing,” he says. “Not a lot of kids can say that because you can’t just turn up and play for the best clubs you have to earn it and I’m proud of myself for doing that.”

Such achievements have fell short for the player who only moved to Warrington upon gaining a place at the University Campus opposite the clubs home ground.

Whilst studying Sport Development, Upton saw Fife as a club on the up and manager Andy Fannon soon saw his potential and snapped up his signature.

“I was so proud to sign for the club it’s got fantastic potential and I was proud to be made a part of it,” he says. “Hopefully next season we can fulfil that potential and build a squad capable of competing in the Premier League.”

His passion for the club has even lead him to consider staying in Warrington for next season despite finishing his studies at University this year.

“There’s talk of me staying around here definitely” he says. “I like the area and I love to keep my football going and I feel as though Fife is the right place for me to do this.”

Finally we asked Tom who he believed had been the best player for the club this season despite the campaign not quite going to plan.

“For me, it has to be Thomas Neary,” he says. “He’s been consistent throughout, scored important goals and been a genuine player for us throughout the whole season, he would certainly get my vote.”

By Danny Walsh.

• Posted in: First Team ♦ Interviews