Pat Rayment has hit back at those who have criticised his transfer policy during his near three-year stint as Spalding United boss – deeming it a necessary evil.
Few non-league teams have changed their make-up as regularly as the Tulips during Rayment’s hugely successful tenure at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field.
Barely a week goes by without a player either walking through the revolving door of the South Holland side… or being quietly ushered out of it.
In footballing circles, it’s what is commonly known as a “Patty Pie.”
Rayment, who is – and has always been – very honest about the sizeable budget he has to work with at Spalding, accepts that his methods have been a little unconventional over the years.
Cast your mind back to 2012/13, when the Tulips kicked off the UCL Premier Division season with the likes of Francis Green and Shane Tolley in their ranks.
They were the headline signings ahead of a campaign that Spalding were expected to dominate.
However, both of those two were axed before November arrived and the Tulips could only finish third behind champions Holbeach United and promoted St Ives Town, with Rayment admitting that he’s signed players “purely on reputation” over the years.
However, by hook or by crook Spalding’s stock has risen massively both on and off the field since the ex-Peterborough United player took the Sir Halley reins back in January 2012 – and Rayment feels the time is right to set the record straight with the club on the brink of the Evo-Stik League First Division South play-off scene.
He said: “Since I’ve been at this club, I feel we’ve been a bit of an easy target for people. I’ve always been totally honest about our finances.
“We have a big budget and have done for a little while now.
“But I just feel like it’s time for me to answer a few questions that I keep seeing and hearing and offer everyone an insight into why we’ve done what we’ve done.
“Yes, we’ve got through a lot of players in my time here. But I’ll be 100 per cent honest with you – we’ve never got rid of anyone for any reason other than they don’t fit into the model we have here.
“We train a lot at Spalding, more than most other local sides, I’d guess. People like Chris Hall and Jamie Thurlbourne have been here long-term because they buy into the formula that myself, Marcus Ebdon (assistant manager) and the staff have set out.
“Our only aim is to keep taking Spalding United forward. But we can’t do that if players don’t share the same determination as the management team.
“Over the years, and I’ll be totally honest again, I’ve signed too many players on their reputation alone.
“I’ve learned that lesson now – and as a result the club doesn’t have as many players tied to contracts anymore.”
Having made a few changes to his squad last week, you could be forgiven for thinking Rayment was still intent on tinkering with his roster.
Striker Jordan Hempenstall arrived from Grantham Town, while Matt Kennedy was allowed to leave for Louth and young guns George Stainfield and Lewis McKue were farmed out to Pinchbeck United and Bourne Town respectively in search of game time. But that couldn’t be further from the truth, with the ex-Deeping Rangers chief convinced that he now has the winning formula in place.
“Right now, I feel genuinely excited about the team,” added Rayment. “The blend feels right and for the first time I can see us reaching a point where no changes are needed.
“It’d be nice just to consolidate for a while.
“It’s been a long road to get to this stage. Without being too harsh, the club was in the doldrums when I came here – at times people in the non-league world used to have a good laugh at us.
“It’s fair to say that it wasn’t really going anywhere.
“I’ve made mistakes along the way, of course I have. But a lot of people have got their heads together to help us move forward and I genuinely love being the manager of this football club.
“We’ve now got what I like to call a starting 16 – every player is good enough to start and the competition for places is fierce.
“I now feel that the players have the same mentality as myself and Marcus and we have the right players to play the kind of football that we want.
“The aim is to keep on pushing the club forward – and I won’t stop trying to make that dream a reality.”
The changing faces of Spalding United
RAYMENT’S FIRST XI
Opposition: King’s Lynn Town (away)
Score: Lost 3-2
Date: January 21, 2012
Competition: UCL Premier
XI: Conroy, Ford, Earls, Thompson, Fuff, Ashton, French, Brady (Harris 72), Smith, Mowbray, Miller. Not used: Lyon, Cherry, Hussey.
2012/13 OPENER
Opposition: Blaby & Whetstone Athletic (home)
Score: Lost 2-1
Date: August 11, 2012
Competition: FA Cup
XI: Conroy, Bull, Earls, Chamberlain, Canoville, Kennedy, Green (James 72), Doherty, Joyce (Stevens 46), Good (Tolley 60), Steadman. Not used: Fuff, Musgrove, Drury.
2013/14 OPENER
Opposition: Northampton Sileby Rangers (home)
Score: Won 3-1
Date: August 10, 2013
Competition: UCL Premier
XI: Duggan, Canoville, Jackson, Allen, N Stainfield, Webb (Doherty), Beeson (Stevens), Hall, Mullarkey, Battersby, Gibson (O’Neill).
2014/15 OPENER
Opposition: Sutton Coldfield Town (away)
Score: Lost 2-0
Date: August 16, 2014
Competition: Evo-Stik 1S
XI: Roberts, Bore, Jackson, Miller, N Stainfield, Webb, Hall, Leary, Thomas (Waumsley 79), Burbeary (Griffiths 56), J Thurlbourne. Not used: G Stainfield, McKue, Ebdon.
