Interview | Hyde United goalkeeper Joe Green

Hyde United goalkeeper Joe Green knows he could be fighting for his place when the club hires their new manager this week.

Photo by Don Goodwin

Fight for places

The NPL Premier side are aiming to have the new boss in place for this weekend’s FA Cup first qualifying round game against Morpeth Town.

Former manager David McGurk resigned last week, with his assistant John McCombe taking temporary charge of the side for three games before also leaving the club after yesterday’s game at Mickleover.

Green said: “We all know there’s a new gaffer coming in so we have to work hard to keep our places, and prove a point.

“All you can do as a player is get your head down and work hard. The new gaffer could come in and bring new players in - that’s non league football. Every time you step on the pitch, you have to give 100%.”

Penalty save seals performance

The 25-year-old did his chances of retaining his place no harm in Saturday’s 2-1 home win over local rivals FC United of Manchester.

Now into his second season at the club after joining from National League North side Guiseley, the keeper was the standout performer in the game.

Green saved Cedric Main’s penalty as the visitors pushed for an equaliser despite playing over an hour with ten men after Paul Ennis’ red card.

Before this he had pulled off a string of saves to deny Neil Reynolds’ side, including a fingertip save tipping the ball over the bar from substitute Finlay Sinclair-Smith.

His decision to dive right was the correct one, keeping out Main’s low spotkick and palming it away, and dealing with the recycled ball back into the area to cap a strong performance.

“You can either be a hero or a villain. I have this little tactic to go to one side of the goal and make it look bigger. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t!

There’s no disagreement that FC United are a fantastic team that makes you work hard for it. We were under the cosh, but dug deep and stuck in there,” he said.

Photo by Don Goodwin

Fan banter stays on the pitch

Although the side lost at Mickleover yesterday, John McCombe was at least able to sign off at Ewen Fields with two home victories under his belt, giving the club their first points of the season.

A crowd just short of 1200 made their way to Saturday’s game, including a large number of away fans who, in time-tested tradition, singled out the goalkeeper with some less than complimentary chants.

However, Green is unphased by this and says it actually spurs him on to a better performance.

“Football is nothing without the fans. We do get stick, but we get stuck in and give it back! When we step off the pitch there’s nothing there. It’s football banter and it’s a pleasure to have them here,” he said.