Behind the scenes at Accrington: ‘What people see as a dump has charm to us’

24 January 2019 11:00
We spend a day with the key people at a revitalised Accrington Stanley before the FA Cup tie against Derby CountyA smell of toast fills the directors’ lounge at Accrington Stanley, where two large boxes of Daz and seven bottles of Bold sit in one corner. Simple parts of the daily routine, yet also signs of why the club that wouldn’t die – as “Accie” describe themselves – are thriving, setting an example and dismantling a tired joke.“We still get the jibes about the milk advert,” the manager, John Coleman, says. “You can let it annoy you or embrace the fact it is one of the things that made us famous. We are a unique club. The name is famous around the world. We are the archetypal underdog. If you wanted a David and Goliath you would say Man United and it would always be Accrington Stanley. As of late, we are not that. We are trying to get away from that.” A second FA Cup fourth-round appearance in three seasons and a remarkable title triumph in between illustrates the progress made. “Oh I don’t want that to be the end,” adds Coleman on winning League Two last year. “You should always strive to be better.” Continue readingreadfullarticle

Source: TheGuardian