The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
TROPHY MAGNET: Andrew Tidswell with the UCL Premier Division title. Photo by NIKKI GRIFFIN
Saturday saw the end of the UCL Premier Division season – and Spalding United striker Andrew Tidswell was confirmed as the golden boot winner for the second successive season.
Despite only playing for half of the season due to injury, his tally of 30 in the Tulips’ title-winning campaign was enough to make Tidswell the most feared hitman in the area once again.
He grabbed the golden boot and Premier Division crown with Spalding’s great rivals Holbeach United last season too after notching 33 times.
But which season does The Voice columnist rate as his best? Our sports editor Andrew Clucas did his best to get an answer from the normally diplomatic ace…
Q: Which was the better season for you personally – Holbeach or Spalding?
A: Each season was very pleasing for different reasons.
We weren’t expected to win the title with Holbeach – and winning the golden boot made it even better.
The recent season with Spalding saw us as overwhelming favourites and teams played against us with five at the back and tried to time waste from minute one. We had to be good enough to break them down – which we were.
So again, it’s always good to prove yourself time and time again.
Sometimes people can win something once – but to do it again proves yourself. So personally to win two league titles back-to-back and two golden boots back-to-back suggests I’ve done OK over the last two years.
Q: You’ve scored bags of goals in the past two years. Which ones do you rate as the best?
A: Now that’s a difficult one! Set-piece wise it would have to be Deeping Rangers away for Holbeach in the Lincs Senior Trophy. Looking back, why I even took the free kick on makes me wonder. It also was the winner in taking us on the way to retain the trophy.
As for open play, I think I’ll go for the goal at Sincil Bank (again for Holbeach) in the final of the Lincs Senior Trophy last season. It was on the breakaway, I was on my own and it was from an improbable angle.
Q: You’re leaving the UCL behind next season – are you looking forward to it?
A: Next season is one to look forward to – making a step up from our promotion.
A lot of the players we have in the squad have played higher level football, some Conference, some step three. So i’d imagine there wouldn’t be many people not knowing what to expect.
I’d expect teams to be fitter and possibly better organised with slightly better technical players. It should be fun.
