Tom Bates departed the club this past week. He was only at the club since Jimmy’s appointment back in November, but his has been a name that for most will be more than familiar.

A lot of Boro’ fans first introduction to Tom will have been when he was playing under Jimmy at Atherstone following the demotion of Boro’ and rise of T*wn. He scored a pearler of a free kick for them in a two all draw at Liberty Way if memory serves me correctly.

A short stint as a player for the Boro’ followed, but he never really made the impact that he did at Atherstone.

In later years he was reunited with Jimmy at Barwell and followed him over here almost inevitably.

It’s hard for fans to get any sort of handle on the impact of members of the coaching team, but my enduring Tom Bates memory will forever be him leading the singing and chanting in the Boro’ Sports Bar after Jimmy’s first home league game, creating a party atmosphere that felt like we’d won the league, when in fact we’d just been beaten. His positivity hit home with the fans that night, and we can only assume it would have been the case with the players. I was told that after the Darlington win, the team bus was bouncing all the way down the A1, and again, Bates was cheerleader number one.

Not enough is made sometimes of the importance of a harmonious squad. A squad that believes in each other, but that sort of attitude has been key to the change in mood around Liberty Way since Jimmy’s appointment.  I can’t speak in depth about anything else that Tom brings, I’ll leave that to others. I’m sure he had far more input than just having a few jars and a sing-song, but that night it felt like he was leading us in a revolution. Here’s hoping in better days he gets the chance to come back and be part of it again.

 

(Image copyright Nuneaton Borough FC)