Whatever Happened to Football's Next Star?

"I remember the first time I was pulled into a first team training session during the show, it was so surreal. I found myself on a team with Mario Balotelli and Ricardo Quaresma playing up against Lucio and Javier Zanetti. It's no coincidence that you can't play your best football when you're completely star-struck." Ben Greenhalgh was taking part in Sky One's 2010 reality TV program "Football's Next Star". Ben had impressed in a trial in Kent earlier in the year, and had been chosen as one of forty young footballers who could be the "next big thing" and end up being rewarded with a professional contract with Inter Milan, who at the time were managed by Jose Mourinho.

"That day I wasn't taking anything seriously" Ben reminisces about the trial day back in 2009 "Jamie Redknapp approached me and said I'd been selected. I was like the only one out of about 300 lads. I took it all in my stride, I wasn't fazed by anything as many things were going my way at the time. I'd signed a professional contract at Welling when I was sixteen, and I had just been selected for England U18's, so maybe the reason I remained so composed during the whole process was due to the fact that I felt I had places to fall back to."




Over the next weekend the forty young footballers were whittled down to ten to take part in the TV show, and Ben was chosen. By his own admittance he had a good game in the hour long match, he set up a goal for fellow finalist Hicham Abdellah. This was all part of the 1st episode aired in January 2010, and the episode ended with each player being presented with an Inter Milan shirt and the boys jetted off to Italy to take part in the TV program.  In the following episodes player's were eliminated until only two remained, and the series culminated with Ben winning and earning himself a six-month contract at then Serie A, Champions League and Coppa Italia winners Inter Milan.

"The first team would give me a lot of confidence whenever I trained with them, and they all understood what approach was best for a 17/18 year old stepping up into this level. Patrick Vieira was fantastic for me, as things had happened so quickly for me, I hadn't had time to learn Italian. Patrick translated most things for me on the training pitch, so I understood what I needed to do." Ben's first team training opportunities were limited as he spent a majority of the time training with the reserves, who were mostly young foreign players as well. "I was finding it really hard to adapt to the Italian culture, I didn't speak hardly any of the language and neither did any of my reserve team-mates. It was tough. I lived with Mattia Destro who was tipped for big things at Inter, but just as I got to know him and build a friendship with him, he was sold to Genoa."

Once the six months had passed, Ben had done enough to earn another year's contract at Inter Milan, which included a loan period at Como who at the time were playing in Serie C. "Como was more realistic for me, let's be serious I was never going to break into that Inter team. I was going into the Como team as someone on loan from Inter, that's quite a tag to have. It was definitely my big chance. No-one spoke English and I had to really immerse myself into the culture. I ended up loving my time there, I was nearly fluent in the language and I was playing really well." In twelve games towards the end of the 2010/2011 season Greenhalgh scored eight times.  But his time in Italy was coming to an end "Como were in real financial difficulty and the first team players hadn't been paid for three months. I couldn't take the risk of staying there not being paid.  If I was being paid to play, there is a fair chance I'd still be out there now." In fact during the 2010/2011 season Serie B and Serie C was awash with a number of sides facing financial ruin, in Serie B; Ascoli and Ancona were expelled from the League due to financial irregularities, and only Ascoli were reinstated after appeal. Meanwhile in Serie C, Como were deducted 1 point for financial irregularities. Como were not alone, as many as seven sides were deducted points for improper financial information. However Ravenna were deducted seven points for match-fixing, whilst Alessandria were demoted to last place in the table for the same offence.  Whilst the football on the pitch may have been good for Greenhalgh, off the pitch things in Italy were tumultuous.

Ben returned to England and during the summer of 2011 had trials at Brighton and Birmingham, without any success. Greenhalgh returned to where it all began for him Welling United.  Ben's time in Italy had served him well, as his set piece delivery had improved and was a constant threat for Ben in non-league football. "I'd worked really hard on it during my time in Italy. It all comes down to confidence, if you have confidence in your delivery and so do your management and players then there is no pressure." Ben could lean on words of praise from Patrick Vieira which not many non-league player's can call on - "Patrick always told me to be confident on the ball, and have faith in my ability. Whenever I spoke to him at Inter, he always drilled that into me."

Ben's left wing wizardry and set-piece delivery was noticed by Scottish Premier League side Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the summer of 2013 who were then being managed by Terry Butcher "Terry managed the way he played the game, he wore his heart on his sleeve and showed so much passion for the game it was admirable.  He loved his wingers as well, which was good news for me. It's probably why I got on so well with him, and I was given great opportunities. However just as I was breaking into the first team, Terry left for Hibs." Butcher's departure from Inverness affected Greenhalgh as incoming manager John Hughes did not select him and Greenhalgh was left to rot in the reserves, and despite a successful loan period at Stenhousemuir which helped Greenhalgh "get back into the swing of things", at the end of the 2013/2014 season Greenhalgh was returning back to England.

Ben spent the 2014/2015 season at Maidstone who were a team on the rise and Greenhalgh had his best scoring season to date, as he hit double figures in Maidstone's Championship winning season in the Isthmian Premier Division.  Greenhalgh was on the move again at the end of that season, and spent a year at Concord Rangers, in which he revelled in a free role given to him by manager Adam Flanagan. As Ben said earlier "If the management have confidence in your ability then you can deliver." Greenhalgh scored nineteen goals in the 2015/2016 including the winner in the Essex Senior Cup Final, and probably assisted just as many goals if not more.

Maidstone came a calling again this summer. The Kent side had now been promoted to the National League and were playing in front of crowds of over 2000 on a regular basis at their new stadium.  In six years Greenhalgh, had gone from Serie A to the National League via the Scottish Premiership, but does he still have the love for the game that day he was approached by Jamie Redknapp -  " My aim in football is to always enjoy where I'm playing, and to keep the passion for playing as high as possible which can be hard in the world of football. Maidstone have fantastic ambition and with the support we get from the fans and community, whose to say where we could end up. Full time training is something I definitely miss, but I'm constantly looking to improve my game and to keep myself in the best physical shape."

Cowley's success is no surprise to Concord Rangers

Whilst Lincoln City ride high in the National League and look poised for a return to the Football League, the club's recent success and good form doesn't come as a shock to a team you may have not heard about on Canvey Island.

24th January 2015 was when I first encountered what can only be described as the wonder of Danny Cowley's management. His Concord side walloped big spending Whitehawk 3-0 in the National League South. To my then un-trained eyes this was ridiculous, how had Danny got this group of players punching above their weight in this Division and beating full-time sides with bigger budgets and packed with professional footballers so easily? As I was to find out, Danny had been doing this for years.

Sadly, but not surprisingly, Danny and his brother Nicky, who was his Assistant Manager were to leave Concord Rangers at the end of the 2014/2015 season to move onto National League Braintree Town. I only captured the last few months of Cowley's reign at Concord, but it had been an incredible rise up through the divisions which had begun back in 2007, when Danny Cowley was appointed Joint-Manager with Danny Scopes in the Essex Senior League. A world away from the Conference South that Concord now competed in. "When I first spoke to him, I was under no illusion that this guy would end up managing in full time football. He impressed me from day one." said Concord Chairman Antony Smith of that meeting back in 2007.

The 2007/2008 season began with Concord under the dual managership of Cowley and Scopes, there was an identikit of the kind of player the two Danny's wanted playing for Concord "We demanded that players had the right attitude and the team came first. We wanted fit lads with outstanding work rate and as we progressed through the levels the quality required for that league." Danny Scopes was only confirming what Danny Cowley said me to back in January 2015 when I first spoke to him "The players have to buy into the ethos of the club. A player's personality is more important to me than their ability."

Whilst the team battled for the Essex Senior League title with Cowley in joint charge of the team, Danny's brother Nicky joined the club.  Nicky was a tough-tackling centre-midfielder. No quarter asked. No quarter given.  "Nicky typified the spirit of our team at the time. He was definitely the type of player you'd rather have on your team than against you though, that's for sure. said Miki Hood who had also joined the club that season, in some kind of back-room coach/kit-man/physio role.
Nicky's influence on the team was immense "He was the player you would make Captain of your team on the first day of pre-season training" said Danny Scopes "He has the passion you need and every manager dreams of this from his players.  The attitude to give his best and to drive others on, to give their best on and off the pitch. He would never tolerate someone not trying, and not having the same desire on the pitch as him. He was a leader of men" This type of player typified what Cowley and Scopes wanted from their team, and this worked as Concord had a highly successful season in the Essex Senior League. They travelled to Barkingside on the last day of the season knowing that victory on that day would bring them the title - again Danny Scopes "Dan had a great understanding of when to scream and shout and when to be calm in the dressing room, I have heard and been around plenty of other managers that feel they need to shout and scream to get their point across, but they actually lose focus of what needed to be said.  At this time this game (Barkingside) was maybe and might still be one of the most important games in Danny/Nicky's management/playing career's so far. We come in at half time 0-0 and we have not been playing well, and looked nervous in our play. We were playing on a difficult pitch against a Barkingside team that 100% wanted to destroy our dream of winning the League. Danny went on to give one of the best half-time team talks I have heard as a manager or player, driving the player's on and encouraging them to go take what we had worked so hard for all season, to go and make it happen and not wait for it to happen. It was an emotional moment for everyone in that dressing room and maybe the moment that got us over the line with a 1-0 win, promotion and the start of an incredible journey."

In 2008/2009 Concord battled it out in the Ryman League Division One North, not much was expected of them.  Mid-table consolidation would have been gratefully accepted. Not for Cowley though, Concord finished a credible 5th place and a place in the league play-offs. Unfortunately Concord were defeated in the play-off final by Waltham Abbey on penalties. Concord would not be denied though and the following season they achieved promotion to the Ryman Premier League beating Enfield Town 3-1 in the play-off final.  By this time Steve King had played for Danny Cowley and with Nicky Cowley for a couple of seasons, and the centre back remembers his playing time with Nicky "We always used to fight and bicker on the pitch, but we were so successful because of it. Each of us without knowing it were driving each other on. As soon as that final whistle went, we had a cuddle and a sing-song on the way home from away matches."

As Concord moved up the levels that consequently the standard of opposition rose, so Cowley, now managing the club on his own after Danny Scopes retirement began looking for ways that Concord could beat the odds. "He left no stone un-turned.  Every minor detail was spot on. That minor detail could make the difference and his attention to detail was second to none" confirms Steve King.  But how could Concord who were a part-time club operate against the bigger sides in the division? Miki Hood who was on-hand for the majority of the training sessions at that time - "Danny will probably be the first person to tell you the limitations of working in the part-time football environment. Realistically in 3/4 hours a week, are you going to be able to make every single individual in your squad a markedly better technical footballer, more tactically astute, a more well-rounded player, and look to develop individual skills - probably not. But you can instil a team organisation, an identity, a collective understanding and belief - to make something greater than the sum of it's parts? You have to say yes, and that's what he did."

As it transpired teams could not cope with Concord's pressing game. They were hard to break down, and always carried a goal threat. They didn't know when they were beaten.  Look at Lincoln's results this season. Notice those late goals. It's not coincidence.  But back to Concord. In 2012/2013 after a slow start to the season everything clicked into place. Concord found themselves in the play-offs. An unbelievable feat for the club.  However Cowley would not let his team rest on it's laurels and congratulate themselves for making the play-offs. Towards the end of the normal season, Concord had lost 2-1 to a late winner, and Wealdstone's fans had spilled onto the pitch after they had scored. "After the game in the dressing room Danny told us we'd get a second chance. That football always gives you a chance to right a wrong, and that we'd be coming back here in the play-offs to do just that. You could sense they weren't just words for show. He was convinced. Regardless of the possible permutations of the games between then and the play-off's; he told us it was going to happen. The players and coaching staff believed it. And it happened."

Concord travelled to Wealdstone for the play-off semi final as predicted by Danny Cowley and won 2-1 in extra time "It was almost surreal. He'd already predicted it. He'd stood in front of all of us back in March and told us what was going to happen. The man's a footballing freak. He decides on what's going to happen and makes it happen." That day back in 2013 is still fresh in Miki Hood's as he re-told me the story of those Wealdstone encounters.

Danny Cowley and Concord then found themselves in a play-off final away to Lowestoft for a place in the Conference South.  This was unheard of for a team the size of Concord Rangers. Of course under Cowley Concord won and one of the goalscorer's on the day Steve King think's that win was one of Cowley's greatest achievements at the club "That play-off final win against Lowestoft stands out for me. We always tended to be underdogs against any opposition as we are such a small club compared to the others and we were never a bigger underdog than in that game. We had been beaten significantly every time we had played there, but Danny instilled a belief in the boys that it was our time and against all the odds we gained promotion. He is an excellent man-manager and can get the best out of his players."

So the 2013/2014 saw Concord Rangers playing in the Conference South for the first time in the club's history. They were dead-certs for relegation in a league which contained clubs such as Dover, Eastleigh, Bromley and Boreham Wood.  Again Cowley defied expectations and led Concord to a creditable ninth place finish.  They finished eight points away from the play-offs. A remarkable performance.  A great season in the league was topped off with Concord winning the Essex Senior Cup beating Conference side Braintree in the final. This was to be the first of three consecutive Essex Senior Cup's that Concord would win (2 under Cowley, and 1 under current manager Adam Flanagan).

The following season and what was to be Cowley's last in charge of Concord, Danny was joined by his brother Nicky in the dug-out as Nicky became Danny's Assistant Manager.  This was also the season I first turned up at Concord and I saw how Danny and Nicky dovetailed each other in the dug-out. Whilst Danny was on touchline driving his side on, cajoling and berating his players at times, Nicky was more studious. He had his ring-binder of set-pieces and formations to be used during the game. Again no stone was being left un-turned. To stand next to the Cowley's in the dug-out was an education in man-management and tactical awareness. But why do the Cowley's work together so well? "They both have the same beliefs in life and of what they want for football. I would say a key factor is there is still that element that brothers have, where they push each other and are not afraid to say what they think to each other or have a row. I'm pretty sure they disagree plenty of times on things behind closed doors, but when it comes to being in front of the players they're 100% focused and together, with a positive mindset to get the job done." was Danny Scopes answer when the question was raised.

Cowley's final season would thrust the club in the public eye as Concord reached the FA Cup 1st Round for the first time in their history. They pulled out League 2 Mansfield Town away from home in the draw.  Concord travelled to Field Mill and didn't disgrace themselves. In fact they excelled. They drew 1-1 at their league opponents and in the replay at the Aspect Arena lost by one goal to nil.  Now Cowley was appearing on other club's radars and it came as no surprise that Danny and his brother left the club at the end of the 2014/2015 to join National League Braintree Town.

That season at Braintree was another rung up a highly successful ladder for the Cowley's as they led part-time Braintree to the National League play-offs and only narrowly lost to Grimsby Town on aggregate.

As Lincoln gain plenty of admirers in Non-League football and beyond for their football, there is no doubt that the future is bright for the Cowley's and who know's what level they could end up at - "As far as I'm concerned the sky's the limit for them both. The only thing that could possibly stop them managing at the very top level is that they weren't household names as players. I find that sad and hope very much that they break the mould and genuinely believe they can manage at Championship level and then...who knows" said Steve King who is probably better to judge than a lot of us having played under Cowley for seven years.

There is an immense feeling of pride with everyone connected at Concord Rangers to see the Cowley's do so well for themselves, and maybe the final word should be with Danny Scopes who was there at the start of Danny Cowley's remarkable journey back in 2007 "I was never in any doubt from the first moment we worked together at Concord Rangers, that they (Danny and Nicky) would go on and be successful in management at non-league level. I think their rise in value from what they did at Braintree last year has really made people stand up and take notice and that has carried on at Lincoln, as we all expected once they got the job. When you watch Lincoln City play, you know you're watching a Cowley team play, and it's great to see."