Non league profile: Causeway skipper Richard Field dares to dream of Wembley

Jan 16 2010 by Colin Stoner, Birmingham Mail

CHRIS Field is daring to dream the dream – as a football fan and a player.

Imagine the spring-time sunshine – it’s the bright orange thing that reputedly used to sparkle in the sky – and a history-making finale to the season.

Not only with Field cheering Blues to secure a ticket for European football, but with the Causeway United captain preparing to lead the Black Country team on to the hallowed Wembley turf.

The odds seem longer than the chances of the unbeatable Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor being knighted but they are a lot shorter than they were two months ago.

While Blues have compiled their best-ever top-flight unbeaten run, Causeway have equalled their best-ever run in the Vase. Today – weather permitting – they aim to pen a new page in their history when they travel to Devon side Willand Rovers with a place in the last 16 at stake.

Four more games and 22-year-old Field could be following his boyhood hero David Beckham in stepping out on to the Wembley turf.

“I went to the old Wembley as a fan to watch England and it was so long ago I don’t even remember who it was against,” said Field. “But it’s the dream of every kid to play at Wembley and we’ve still got the chance to make that dream come true.

“When you start off in the early rounds, you don’t really think about going to Wembley. But now we’ve got into the last 32 and if we win on Saturday we’re into the last 16.

“It gets more and more exciting. Everybody has mentioned how much of a dream it would be to play in the final. How realistic it is, I don’t know, but you look at the teams left and the Alliance is one of the highest leagues. It’s not like we’ve got to play Manchester United.”

In truth, Causeway would love just to be able to play anyone.

It is nearly five weeks since they last played as the ice and snow put the big freeze on their matches – five postponements in a row – and even their training.

It means that Causeway – one of three Aspire Midland Alliance clubs left in the competition – have played just twice since knocking out Biddulph Victoria in the last round on December 5.

It’s hardly ideal preparation but Field has at least been able to keep in trim. Having graduated last year from Worcester University, he has been working part-time in a Kidderminster leisure centre.

“I go to the gym throughout the season anyway but I’ve been able to do a bit more,” said Field. “I feel pretty fit.

“It’s just frustrating that we haven’t played. Our last game was on December 15. It’s not ideal but unfortunately there’s nothing you can do about it. You just have to do the best job in the circumstances.”

There will not be too many younger captains among the other 31 teams in the Vase fourth round than Stourbridge-based Field. This is his third season at Causeway but manager Carl Burley, who signed him from Cradley Town, had no hesitation in appointing him skipper this season.

As well as playing the game, he talks the talk – but he stresses the key to Causeway is their togetherness. Everyone has their say.

“We’ve got a pretty young squad anyway and I’m quite a vocal person out on the pitch,” said Field, who started his career with Stourbridge.

“I try to lead by example and by being captain people take more notice of me. But there are a few ‘captains’ in the team. Compared to when I first joined, we’ve got a few more senior players, which really helps.

“We’ve got a good blend now. We’ve got a mix of young players with potential and older players with that bit of experience.”

Mark Jones, twice a Stourbridge title winner, and Morgan Brookes tick the latter box. Both played alongside the young Field in helping the Glassboys win promotion from the Alliance, while Duncan Willetts up front has also played in the Southern League.

But their knowledge of Western League Willand will be limited. Burley had hoped to send a scout to watch them but the weather scuppered those plans and Field admits the internet has been providing at least a finger-pressing opportunity to check them out.

“I don’t know much about Willand – and that can work two ways,” he said. “You want to do your homework and the scouting we did before the Newcastle Town game certainly helped us.

“But then, like every game, you have to play your own game. You have to concentrate on your strengths – and that’s what we’ve got to do.

“We feel we can progress. You rely on your goalscorers and Duncan is a real spark for us, along with Stuart How up front. We need them to play well. Ben Stretton, in midfield, is a big player for us and so is our keeper Joel Skelding. But then every single player has to play well.”