Gary Dicker on his first goal for the club
Midfielder Gary Dicker spoke to us about his first goal for the club and about the vital victory over Plymouth which secured the club’s League Two status.
“I thought it was a good performance but, to be honest, it’s probably frustrating for us to look back and think about why it hasn’t happened more for us,” he said. “I think that’s the level we’ve got to be playing at every week to get out of this league. There’s no reason why we can’t do that, which we’ve proved again today.
“I’ve said before that the reason we’re in this position doesn’t come down to us not caring. It’s just getting that little switch inside that you’ve got to care about every ball and every pass. The more you do that, the more you’ll win games.”
“As a team, we’re getting better at knowing where to be and when to help each other out,” he continued. “I think Plymouth started well, but we were up for it as well. We had a few chances and crosses and I think you know as a player when people are on their game. They’re talking and they’re bright and, like I say, that just needs to happen more often.
“There was a buzz around the place and it grew through the game. The fans have been great all year, and particularly when you think they haven’t had much to shout about.
“Our supporters are keeping the club going because they’re paying their money every week. We want to give them something to cheer about and hopefully we can finish the season well and stay unbeaten.”
On his goal, he said: “I don’t score many like that. I actually had a nice little handball before it but I don’t think anyone saw it. It dropped nicely and it was one where I knew I couldn’t take it down or risk a touch.
“I scored one like it once before but they don’t come too often for me like that. Mind you, I don’t care who scores, as long as they go in. It was even better for me when Billy [Paynter] scored, to be honest. It’s great for him because we’ve all seen the work he puts in.
“He works hard off the ball and he’s an intelligent footballer. I think everyone – the fans, the players and the staff – were happy for him when he got that great finish.”
“Mine is probably one of the most important I’ve ever scored,” he agreed. “It was a big goal for me and for the club, and it’s put us in a good position. This club doesn’t want to be where it is right now and the players don’t want to be there either.
“This type or performance is in us and we’ve shown in the last few games what we’re capable of. We need to reach those levels more often, rather than sit and wait for something to happen. You have to have a do-or-die attitude every week.
“I try to bring that and I always want my football to do the talking. What happened with the disagreement has happened, and that’s gone for me now. We all know things in football can change, even within the space of a week, and I don’t think many would have had Billy and me as the two scorers today. That’s just how this game goes. Things change quickly and you have to be ready to play and do your bit at every moment.”
“It’s nice to be part of a big day for the club,” he commented. “It’s nice to stay up and in a way it is a celebration, but I don’t think you’ll find us running round the streets screaming and shouting just because we’ve done it. The club and players are better than this. Yes, we have stayed up, but I don’t think it’s good enough that we’ve been scrapping where we have been all season.
“We know it hasn’t been anywhere near good enough but it means a lot to us that we’ve stayed in this division. Nobody wants to be relegated and you don’t even want to be involved in a relegation fight. Touch wood, I’ve never been involved in a bad one. This was my second one and I’ve managed to come out of the other side relatively unscathed.
“It’s massive for the club and there are a lot of good players who deserve league football. I thought Kyle Dempsey was brilliant, by the way, and his energy levels are frightening. If you put him in goals he would still run around for you! Players like him are here for another season and I can see it only getting better for everyone.
“I think I said on the day I signed that I didn’t come here to stay in League Two. The club has a huge amount of potential with the quality of the young players we have. They’re backed up by good experienced players, so it’s a good mix. We need to better next year, because I don’t want to be in a scrap again, and I think we have the players here to do that.”
United Player subscribers can see a video interview with Gary Dicker now. Click HERE to go to the Player platform. Follow the same link for more information on United Player, and to subscribe.
Click HERE to see a clip from this interview on our YouTube channel. Follow the same link for more FREE content right from the heart of the club.
