Huge milestone for Johnny

Reaching 500 games in charge is a huge milestone. What does it mean to you personally?

It means a huge amount to me personally. When I first took over, I certainly never imagined I’d still be here 500 games later. I’m incredibly proud of it, but probably more proud of the journey and the people I’ve shared it with. There have been a lot of highs and a few lows along the way, but I’ve made some great memories and friends for life.

I also have to thank my partner Keely and my family for the support they’ve given me over the years. I got together with Keely just before I started managing Holywell, and we’ve had our daughter during that time, so the club has been a huge part of our family life. They don’t just hear about it, they live and breathe it with me. They’ve been there for the games, the good times and the difficult times, and I know they kick every ball with me during games.

There’s a lot of time and commitment that goes into managing a football club. It might be part-time, but it’s a full-time commitment. It’s something that’s on my mind every minute of every day, and without their support and understanding it would be impossible. To reach 500 games with Holywell, and now be doing it in the Cymru Premier, is something I’ll always be incredibly proud of.

You have given a huge amount to Holywell over the years. What still drives you to keep taking the club forward?

From the moment I took over in Tier 3, getting Holywell into the Cymru Premier was always the dream and the ambition. There were plenty of doubters at the time. I’d been a player the season before, I was only 30 and had no managerial experience. It wasn’t really a thing back then for someone that young and inexperienced to take on a football club, so there were obviously people who questioned whether I was the right person for the job. I understood that, but I believed in myself and I believed in what we could achieve.

It’s been a slow build without big investment. We’ve relied heavily on our supporters, local businesses, small groups of volunteers and the loyalty of players who have believed in what we’re trying to build. When I first took over, we were operating on a very small budget, everything was around £1,000 for the season, and we were still able to reach a Welsh Cup semi-final from Tier 3. That showed me what could be achieved with the right attitude and the right people.

I’ve always tried to improve myself as a manager as well. I’ve worked through my coaching badges and continued learning because I certainly didn’t have all the answers when I started, and I’m still learning now. But it’s not just about football for me. I want to create life memories for people.

I’ve had players come in who maybe needed picking up, were coming back from injury, had lost their way a little bit or had fallen out of love with football. If you can give someone a good environment, look after them, treat them well and give them a platform to enjoy their football again, quite often you get that desire back. When players eventually look back on their time at Holywell, I want them to remember it as a great time in their lives, the football, the experiences and most importantly, the friendships they’ve made. There’s no great secret to it really. Look after people and treat them well and in football you get that back 100 times over.

Friday’s result at Cambrian was disappointing. How have the players responded, and what has been the focus in preparation for Tuesday?

Friday was disappointing because we felt we created enough chances to get something from the game. The players were hurting afterwards, which is understandable, but we can’t dwell on it. We’ve looked at the mistakes, been honest about what needs improving and now we have to use that disappointment as fuel.

There were positives as well. I thought we created chances and there were strong signs of the togetherness growing within this new group. We’ve spoken honestly about what we need to do better, but the important thing now is that we learn from it and move on. We need to take those positives, learn from the mistakes and make sure we’re ready to go again on Tuesday.

Colwyn Bay is a big game in its own right, made even more significant by it being your 500th in charge. What are you expecting from the occasion and the match?

It’s obviously going to be a special night for me personally, and hopefully for everyone connected with the club. But once that whistle goes, it’s a football match and I’ll be focused on trying to win it.

Colwyn Bay are a very good side and we know it will be another tough game. We’ll need intensity, discipline and desire, and we’ll need to do the basics well. Hopefully we can put in a performance our supporters can be proud of and give ourselves a chance of getting that first win.

You’ve experienced some incredible highs and difficult moments during your time at Holywell. Is there one particular moment or achievement that stands out above the rest?

It’s difficult to pick just one. The promotion into the Cymru Premier is obviously right up there, especially after the disappointment of not getting the licence and looking like we had hit a ceiling as a club. The Welsh Cup runs, cup wins, derby wins, comebacks, last-minute winners, promotions — there’s too many to mention. But for me, it’s not always about trophies or results.

Seeing players develop, seeing lads come back from difficult periods, regain their confidence and start enjoying their football again means a lot to me. And giving supporters some of their best days out is a massive part of it too. One of the things I’m probably proudest of is seeing ex-players come back to support Holywell after they’ve moved on or even finished playing. It shows that their time here meant something to them.

If years later they can look back and think, “I had a brilliant time there, made great friends and those are memories I’ll always have,” then I feel like I’ve done something right. That means as much to me as any result.

You’ve now taken Holywell into the Cymru Premier after years of building the club. How proud are you of the journey the club has been on?

Massively proud. From Tier 3 to the Cymru Premier was always the dream and the ambition, but it was never going to happen overnight. It’s been a slow build without big investment, and we’ve relied heavily on our supporters, local businesses and the loyalty of players who have believed in what we’re trying to build.

But I have to mention our committee and volunteers because without a small, hard-working committee and a brilliant group of volunteers, the club simply wouldn’t be where it is today. They give up so much of their own time and do a lot of the work that people don’t necessarily see. That’s what makes the journey so special. It’s been built by people who genuinely care about Holywell.

We’ve had players who have stayed loyal when they could have gone elsewhere, supporters who have followed us through the good and difficult times, local businesses who have backed us, and volunteers who keep the club moving. When you look at where we were and where we are now, it’s a completely different football club. And I think the biggest thing is that it’s been built, not bought.

Everyone connected with Holywell should be incredibly proud of that but we have to keep building and give everything to keep this great club at the level it deserves to be at.

Finally, what would it mean to you to mark game 500 with Holywell’s first Cymru Premier win of the season?

It would be brilliant. I’ll be proud of reaching 500 games regardless, but I’m a football manager and I want to win football matches. We’ve worked incredibly hard to get into the Cymru Premier and we want that first win.

If it came on Tuesday night, at home, in my 500th game, it would certainly make it a night I’d never forget. But I know there’s no football god who is going to hand that to us. We know we have to earn it. There are no easy games at this level.

I know the players will be giving everything they’ve got, and the supporters will get right behind us and hopefully can give everyone connected with the club something to celebrate.

JH

This Tuesday, we welcome Colwyn Bay to the Barton’s North Wales Stadium for a huge Novira Cymru Premier fixture. These are the games the club has worked so hard to be part of, and the Wellmen need your backing under the lights. Kick off is 7.45pm

Tickets are available now via Fanbase

#UpTheWellmen