FA Trophy interview with Liam Reynolds
Reynolds confident table-topping Brakes can cast adrift their
hosts
by Colin Stoner, Birmingham Post
 Liam Reynolds was left high and dry when floods poured through
his home in the summer. But now he is riding the crest of a
wave after becoming a key figure in table-topping Leamington’s
line-up. Such was the force of water which deluged Henley-in-Arden
in July that Reynolds has yet to be able to return home.
But if having to call the Nag’s Head public house in
the Warwickshire town ’home’ for the time being
sounds inviting, so too does the chance to help Leamington
follow their exploits in the British Gas Business League Midlands
Division with a place in the first round of the FA trophy.
Today, the Brakes will head to Blue Square South side Fisher
Athletic, aiming to claim the London club as their third giant-killing
in their come-back year in the competition.
It’s certainly been an eventful few months for the former
Birmingham City trainee Reynolds, who initially joined Leamington
last spring. He had been with Blues from the age of 12 to 17,
the latter three years spent as a scholar under Stewart Hall
and Keith Bertschin. His contemporaries included Neil Kilkenny,
Asa Hall and Sone Olukoand while Reynolds stays in touch, there
is no jealousy. “It was a brilliant experience” he
said. “Of course, there were highs and lows but I wouldn’t
have changed anything for a minute. It’s every boy’s
dream to have the chance to make it as a professional player.
Blues had just gone up into the Premiership for the first time
and it was a great experience and one I wouldn’t change.”
After being released from St Andrew’s, Reynolds opted
for university life in Manchester before returning to the Midlands
last spring. After joining Leamington via a friend who played
for them, he featured only as bit-part player initially, but
now the youngest player in the Brakes’ ranks has become
a near ever present. “It’s really going well for
me and for the club, especially being newcomers in the league,” said
Reynolds. “I joined last season when I came back from
university and I had a friend, Tom James, who was playing at
Leamington. I went down to the ground with him and because
they were doing so well at the time, it was hard to get into
the team. “No manager likes to change a winning team
and I had to bide my time. I worked hard in pre-season and
I’ve been given my chance this season.
“It’s brilliant to see Leamington at the top of
the table, though we all know it’s still early days.
We would have definitely taken that at the start of the season.”
Leamington have also upset the odds in their Trophy campaign
so far, having dumped Banbury United and Margate out of the
biggest competition in non-League football. Though Stourbridge
dashed their hopes of a tenth win in a row in midweek, claiming
a 2-0 victory, Reynolds insists they will head to Fisher today
in buoyant mood. “On Saturday, the pressure is off. We
have become the team to beat in the league because we have
been top of the table but we’re the underdogs on Saturday.
Fisher are two leagues above us,” said Reynolds. “We
won’t fear them. We’ve already been to Margate
and won. We played them off the park and there’s no reason
why we can’t go to Fisher and get a result if we all
play well again.”
Certainly, another giant-slaying would bring a cheer to the
regulars at the Nags Head. Reynolds has been able to live above
the pub and work as a barman after the floods which brought
chaos to south Warwickshire. “There were so many people
affected that, unfortunately, it has taken so long for the
house to be repaired. Hopefully, we’ll be back in there
by Christmas,” said Reynolds. It could have been worse.
We saw the water coming and were able to get everything upstairs.
I’ve never seen anything like it – it was one of
those freak events.”
Our thanks for this article to Colin Stoner at the Birmingham
Post
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