We caught up with the club skipper Theo Woodhouse at training where he told us about his football background and his hopes for the new season.
What are your first football memories?
My first memories of football as a youngster would probably be watching football as a kid with my dad and always falling asleep before the game had ended
How old were you when you first played for a team?
So I remember my dad and uncles used to take all the kids to the local park to do football training with us all, and because so many kids came they ended up making three teams up. This was in Brixton where I lived at the time. So a local Under 5’s team called Ujarmaa would be the first team I played for.
Did you play for your school team?
I did indeed. Liberty middle school was my first taste of competition. I played for my year (year 5) and the year above (year 6) and also helped my school get to the finals of the Surrey Junior Cup, but disappointingly we lost. I went on to Mitcham Vale High School and continued to play.
Did any of your boyhood friends or teammates go on to play at a professional level?
Tyrone Berry (family)
Nirone Nosworthy (family)
Luke Ayling (childhood friend)
Callum Hudson (childhood friend)
Billy Dunne (childhood friend)
Jerson da Sontos (childhood friend)
Nicky Bailey (childhood friend)
All who I have shared a football experience with’
Do you have hidden talents in any other sports?
Table tennis
Squash
Snooker
Boxing
Swimming
Everything really… You name it I’m good at it!
What experience did you have as a captain before being appointed at City last season?
In my later years at Colliers Wood I became the vice captain and that carried on for just over a year. So I filled in as captain a few times there, but other than that no experience prior that.
Was it a surprise to be asked to be captain?
I was a touch surprised when asked to be the clubs captain. Mainly because I had only played around eight games for the club at that point due to me joining at the end of the season. But I also knew there were other leaders amongst the squad that had been at the club longer then me. That being said I was thankful for the opportunity and very happy the club and the Gaffa believed in me.
You spent a long period at Colliers Wood FC. What were your highlights of your time there?
Playing on the wings lol was definitely a highlight for me. But definitely finishing in the top four in my first year along side an old friend Daniel Harding, and some good players who are now lifetime friends was a good start. I also picked up a runners-up medal in the League Cup and the man of the match medal as well. Other than that I was living in Colliers Wood at the time so it was the local club for me, but generally they were a good bunch of people.
What brought your time at Colliers Wood to an end?
After years of consistently being a part of the starting 11, and becoming vice captain, a time came where I got injured and missed a few games. When I returned from this injury I had to prove myself again from the bench which is totally understandable. I did just that and before you know it I was starting again all of the time. A change of coaching staff and management came in and things started to go rocky again. Politics started to arise and I thought the club no longer valued my loyalty as vice captain and my efforts as a player. So I left but there were many other reasons behind me leaving Colliers. I had also moved out of that area, and I had only recently buried my dad after he suffered a stroke.
In 33 City appearances you have yet to get on the score sheet! Would you normally consider yourself a goalscoring midfielder?
It’s a bit frustrating for me because I am used to scoring goals and I am used to being slightly further up the pitch. But my role is different now. If I am asked to play as a defensive midfielder then I do a defensive midfielders job, which we all know is not to score goals. I would love to know how many assists I got though lol. But I shall continue to play and hopefully I can change that goal scoring stat.
25/01/2020 Southall v GCFC 22/01/2020 GCFC v Raynes Park Vale FC, City ran out 2-0 winners 14/09/2019 From Paul Burgman/Press-Photos.com. Guildford City v Camberley Town 17/08/2019 From Paul Burgman/Press-Photos.com. Abbey Rangers v Guildford City 30/07/2019 From Paul Burgman/Press-Photos.com. Godalming Town v Guildford City in the Bill Kyte Memorial Cup. Guildford won 3-0
How do you juggle your football commitments with your day job?
Currently I am a site manager at a private tuition centre. The other half of my day job is to teach football anyway, as i am a qualified coach for Fulham Football Club. So I do the school in the mornings and if I’m not playing football in the afternoons or on the weekends I’m coaching it for work.
When finally your football playing days come to an end how will you spend your spare time?
I will forever be interested in football and would love to go on and coach a team of my own someday but will definitely keep supporting the sport and the youth.
Finally last season was disappointing for everybody at Guildford City. What are your realistic hopes for the new campaign – both personally and for the team?
It was a very disappointing season for me and the Guildford City Football Club. There were many reasons but honestly I just want the team to be competing at the top where it belongs. Hopefully we can win it and personally I would like to smash this goal scoring stat of mine out the window and bag myself ten this year!!
