GRAHAM STACK: At Arsenal you'd ask the boot man and he'd give you as many pairs as you wanted... I'm playing at Halifax on Saturday and I have to take my own water

PUBLISHED: 01:30 EST, 6 September 2013 | UPDATED: 03:48 EST, 6 September 2013


Graham Stack

Graham Stack was on the San Siro bench as Arsenal beat Inter Milan 5-1 in the Champions League. Every day he trained with Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Dennis Bergkamp and Martin Keown. Now, he's playing non-league football with Barnet after relegation from the Football League. He's now training every day with Edgar Davids! In his debut Footballer's Football Column, ahead of Non-League Day, Stack talks about the lack of support shown to players when they are relegated out of the League.

 
 

I’ve experienced both ends of the spectrum in my football career and I’ve been surprised at the lack of support shown to players when they get relegated to the Conference

These boys at QPR get relegated but they’re on fortunes, their life doesn’t change a great deal. They can still pay their mortgage, they can still drive two or three cars, they can still go shopping in the West End, eat out in the West End and stay in the world’s top hotels.

For League Two players there’s a 20 per cent wage reduction. Staff get cut; the backroom staff, chefs, kit men. We have to wash our own kit now, pay for our own lunch; we don’t get boots or health supplements. We have to bring our own water when we travel for games, these are all things that I’ve never had to pay for, but that’s part of the set up now.

Safe hands: Graham Stack is now paying in the Conference with Barnet

Safe hands: Graham Stack is now paying in the Conference with Barnet

Between the sticks: Stack applauds the Barnet fans at the end of a game last season

Between the sticks: Stack applauds the Barnet fans at the end of a game last season

   

More from The Footballers' Column...


 

Fortunately for me I’ve financially done okay out of football but I’ve experienced both worlds, I’ve seen how people spend money at the top end of the game. People are entitled to spend their wages how they like but there’s a flip side for people at the other end of the spectrum and it’s hard. Some of our guys would be better off playing part time - working three days a week - to keep financially in front.

There are a lot of consequences of getting relegated from League Two. There are PFA schemes where you get Mercedes cars, boot sponsorship - that all gets taken away from you.

It’s mad really because you think that’s who they’d be supporting, instead it’s the players in the Premier League who get complimentary boots. If you’re at Arsenal you just ask the boot man and he gives you as many pairs as you want.

Why help people who don’t need supporting and neglect the people that need it most? It’s a strange one but everyone signs up to it. There are a lot of sacrifices that have been made and you have to cut your cloth accordingly.

I was gutted and it took me a while to get over relegation. I’m still madly in love with the game, though, whether that’s in the Conference or the Premier League. The quality and the level I’m playing at has changed but the incentive to go out and get three points on a Saturday will never change.

I was there when Arsenal beat Inter 5-1, I was on the bench. I never took it for granted and thought it was never ending with the Gunners, I really savoured it. Looking back it's incredible to think how close I was to one of the greatest Arsenal teams ever assembled. I trained with the first team every day, I travelled to every game, I was involved in the cup run.

I am where I am now though, I’m a Conference player at the end of the day. But those memories will never leave me, it was a year of my life I never thought I’d get. I had a year left on my contract when I left and could potentially have stayed. Do I have regrets? Well I worked as hard as anyone, if not harder.

Starting out: Stack came through the ranks at Arsenal

Starting out: Stack came through the ranks at Arsenal

One of the boys: Stack sits on the bench and speaks to Thierry Henry and Jose Antonio Reyes

One of the boys: Stack sits on the bench and speaks to Thierry Henry and Jose Antonio Reyes

Top of the league: Stack was a member of the Arsenal squad with the likes of Martin Keown, Ashely Cole, Sol Campbell and Jens Lehmann who won the Premier League in 2004

Top of the league: Stack was a member of the Arsenal squad with the likes of Martin Keown, Ashely Cole, Sol Campbell and Jens Lehmann who won the Premier League in 2004

Mark Schwarzer signing for Chelsea is a testament to his belief in himself. If you ask me whether Im going to play in the Premier League one day I’d love to say ‘yeah, course I am’, but the reality is that I probably wont. But as Mark Schwarer said, I’ll never say never, I’ll never say that I’m not good enough.

It’s amazing how things can work out. John Ruddy was at Motherwell when I was in Scotland and within two years he’s established himself in the England set up. Things can happen quickly and I’m only 31, I’m still a baby, I’ve got another 10 years in me.

John Ruddy
Mark Schwarzer

Making an impact: Stack is pleased to see John Ruddy in the England squad and Mark Schwarzer playing for Chelsea in his 40s

All I'm focussed on now is getting Barnet back into League Two. We were third best in the league last season after Edgar Davids came in. We didn’t win a game in our first 13 which left us in a really difficult position and that's why we got relegated.

Doing it his way: Edgar Davids is trying to get Barnet back in the Football League

Doing it his way: Edgar Davids is trying to get Barnet back in the Football League

It’s a testament to the club and the direction they want to move in that Davids is staying on. He’s a big character and, with what he’s achieved, he’s respected worldwide. He’s achieved things that we can only dream of achieveing.

Edgar has his own philopshy about the game and if you wont’s play the way he wants to then you’ll find yourself out the team, or he’ll get someone in who will. He sets high standards and if we play at those standards then there's no reason we wont get promoted.

 

More...


Comments (15)

Share what you think

 View all

The comments below have not been moderated.

I take the wider point about what Stack is saying, but using having to washing your own kit (uniform), buy or make your own lunch and not getting a complimentary Mercedes are hardly the best examples. Get into the real world! You aren't getting the perks of Premier League players because, guess what...you aren't a Premier League footballer. - Fortier , Birmingham, United Kingdom, 06/9/2013 20:10+ + + + + + + And yet you MISS the main point he was making - the ultra well-paid Premier league players, at wealthy clubs, get additional help and "freebies" from the PFA and the poorly paid players who might actually need assistance, get nothing. It does seem a bit bottom-about-face.

1
13
 Click to rate

And then he went to Halifax with Barnet... and lost. Yay Shaymen!

5
3
 Click to rate

Comparing yourself to John Ruddy? He is a good goalkeeper, you just let in goals for Hibs! No comparison.

7
10
 Click to rate

Comparing yourself to John Ruddy? He is a good goalkeeper, you just let in goals for Hibs! No comparison.

10
5
 Click to rate

Great read, gives a real perspective an inside view of what the game within varying levels is like from a player who seems to simply love the game.

1
12
 Click to rate

Quality read, gives real perspective on the game from a player who has seen each level first hand.

2
9
 Click to rate

Usual clap trp from people who do not support Barnet. Why bother posting on another clubs website ?

5
5
 Click to rate

I take the wider point about what Stack is saying, but using having to washing your own kit (uniform), buy or make your own lunch and not getting a complimentary Mercedes are hardly the best examples. Get into the real world! You aren't getting the perks of Premier League players because, guess what...you aren't a Premier League footballer.

8
26
 Click to rate

So your point is???????????

13
5
 Click to rate

"This guy is a waste of space. Ask him how his hibs spell went? Win any derbys?" Mick - why don't you ask Stacky?! He loved his time and fans loved him! Although i'm sure his Premiership medal & all the success he had with the Invincibles pales into significance compared to the success you've had on the pitch!!

9
24
 Click to rate

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now