Cameron Lissimore Media

Nick Wheeler

Position – Left Midfielder

Current Club – Worthing FC

Previous Clubs – Charlton Athletic, Lewes FC, Burgess Hill Town, Tonbridge Angels, Dagenham & Redbridge, Billericay Town, Woking FC, Eastbourne Borough, Dorking Wanderers

Age – 34

Briefly summarise your growing up around football…..

Loved football from the moment I could kick a ball. Signed for Charlton at the age of 8 which made me grow up with great discipline and dedication which is why I think I’m still playing National League football at the age of 34.

How was your time in the Charlton youth system? Did you get to share the pitch with any names who hit the top levels of football?

Charlton was great, amazing club the years I was there. Yes, luckily I got to play with and against some great players who had great careers. Jonjo Shelvey, Jack Wilshere and Kevin De Bruyne who a lot of people don’t know was at Arsenal as a young kid.

You’ve played at many different levels of non league, how do they differ step to step?

Yeah the top Level of non league is now a very hard level, as so many clubs are now professional and train everyday. Which makes it hard when part times teams only train twice or sometime once a week if we have games Tuesday night.

What is the period like when a new manager comes in, and what do you personally do to quicken the process of adapting to a new manager’s ideas and tactics?

Yeah it’s more difficult as a part time team as it takes time to know how a new manager wants to set up and play as every manager has their own way of doing things, and the only time you learn this is on the training pitch. 

How do you view the community aspect of playing non-league football? Do you feel a strong connection with local fans?

Yeah there is a big difference between non league and professional, non league you’re way more engaged with fans as you get closer to them and the clubs always feel like a small community. 

Long serving Dorking Wanderers manager Marc White is known for his approach to football management, what was it like to work under him?

I really enjoyed my time at Dorking and under Marc. He is a great character but I always say he was amazing at looking after players, he would always do a lot for them on and off the pitch. 

During your time at Dorking, Bunch of amateurs filmed the series Dorking Uncovered. Did the new found fame and interest in the club impact yourself and the squad?

Yes, Bunch of Amateurs was a great thing to be a part of. Rich the owner is a great guy too and most of the team definitely enjoyed being around it.

You’ve now been at Worthing for around 1 ½ years, touching on last season, how gutting was it to be denied promotion in the playoffs?

Always hard to lose a final but luckily I’ve been part of losing teams and winnings teams and you realise this is just part of sport. Football is full of ups and downs.

This season you qualified for the first round proper of the FA Cup, how good was the experience for you and the lads?

Luckily in my career I’ve had some amazing FA Cup runs. I always say the Fa Cup is the competition where not everyone in their careers get to experience a good run and good draw from the hat, so when it happens it’s always an amazing experience.

Looking at the league, again your side Worthing are in and around the playoffs, is the goal to go a step further this time around and break into the National League?

Yes definitely. The club has big ambitions of going full time football soon and has invested a lot of money into the club and stadium so promotion is the goal. 

Many Thanks to Nick for participating in this interview, and I wish him well for the remainder of the season and beyond!

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