9 minute read
Jake Lawlor Interview
JAKE LAWLOR
AGE: 29 DATE OF BIRTH: 08.04.1991 BIRTHPLACE: HALIFAX SIGNED FROM: WREXHAM (AUGUST 2020) 2020/21 LEAGUE TWO APPEARANCES: 10
JAKE LAWLOR
BORN IN HALIFAX, Lawlor grew up playing football as one of the stand out players for his local team, Brighouse. Playing as a striker as a youngster, Lawlor was sent on trial to Manchester United at the age of eight-years-old and out of hundreds of kids looking to join the United set up, he was just one of 10 to join the Red Devils.
Seeing the likes of Eric Harrison - the man who famously coached the ‘Class of 92’ - wandering around at training was an everyday sight for Lawlor but it wasn’t something he truly understood at such a young age.
“I didn’t think too much about him being there at the time”, he admits. “We used to have Roy Keane and Ryan Giggs doing the odd session as they did their coaching badges but for me, I just liked playing football at that age.”
On the pitch, Lawlor would defend and attack with the likes of Danny Welbeck, Oliver Norwood and Matt James - three players who have gone on to have successful Premier League careers. For Lawlor however, as he got older, he began to enjoy his time at United less and less, and at the age of 14, was released by the club.
“My mates would be hanging out after school but from Tuesdays to Thursdays, I couldn’t play with them as I was with United in the evenings up until 9/10pm. It was a lot to take in and although being released wasn’t a great moment I sort of knew it might be coming and there was a relief as it was a chance to start enjoying football again.”
After leaving, Lawlor was in contact with several academies including Huddersfield Town, but the defender struggled to enjoy the academy approach and instead went to play for one of the top local teams, Wyke Wanderers. Lawlor would go on to win the League and the County Cup in his only season with the Wanderers before briefly moving onto Halifax Town, before going to Huddersfield New College. Lawlor played for the college team while also representing Sunday League football for Liversedge, earning £20 a match.
Now 18-years-old, Lawlor had to decide what was next for him. He went down the academic approach, studying Sports Business Management at Sheffield Hallam University, although the big man admits he “studied drinking” more than his subject.
He opted not to play for the University team and instead came home at weekends to play at Ossett Town and then later Harrogate Railway at the age of 19. Both clubs were playing at Northern Premier League level and Lawlor believes that type of football has been beneficial for his career.
“Football at that level and at that age was really good for me. I wasn’t fully developed at 18/19 but I was still playing against men so it was important for my development.”
After graduating from University, Lawlor had found a passion for fitness, specifically CrossFit training. He and a friend decided to set up a gym called CrossFit 606, a business which is still going strong today, over eight years on.
While involved in the fitness industry, Lawlor played the majority of his football at Guiseley, signing for The Lions in January 2013. It was a step up to Conference North football and Lawlor made a few appearances in his first half-season as Guiseley lost to Halifax in the playoff semi-finals.
In his first full season at the West Yorkshire club, Lawlor and his teammates suffered “heartbreak” following defeat to Altrincham in the Conference North Play-Off Final.
It’s a day he remembers for all the wrong reasons.
“We were drawing 1-1 and it went to extra time,” Lawlor explains. “They brought a lad on in the last minute of extra time to take a penalty in the shootout that we thought would be happening, but then he scored with his first touch in the 120th minute. It was a heart-breaking and horrible feeling, we should have won that game. I remember going ‘what the ****, what is going on?!’ it was horrendous walking into the dressing room after that.”
For Lawlor and his teammates redemption would fall into place the following year as they achieved promotion with a Play-Off Final win against Chorley. However, it was no easy task for The Lions. Bad traffic meant the coach arrived at the ground 45 minutes before kick-off and after half the game had been played, they found themselves two goals down. In the changing rooms at half time, there was that feeling of “here we go again” but a strong second-half showing turned the game on its head and Guiseley came out on top as 3-2 winners.
Lawlor classes that day as “one of his favourite moments” and he stayed on with the club for another three seasons.
In Guiseley’s first year in the National League, Lawlor admits the squad “did well” to stay up but then struggled to kick on the season after.
“The two managers we had weren’t given long enough,” he says. “We had some good players but we didn’t really kick on. We had players come in from higher divisions who didn’t do it for us.”
In the 2017/18 season, Guiseley were relegated and it spelt the end at the club for Lawlor. Having injured himself in January 2018, the defender was on the sidelines for two months and by the time he was back, relegation was already confirmed. Manager Paul Cox had agreed to let Lawlor join AFC Fylde for the remainder of the season as they looked to secure a spot in the playoffs.
Lawlor worked up his fitness levels to play a part in the final seven games of the season, but it wasn’t to be for the Lancashire side as they lost out to Boreham Wood in the semi-finals. For the centre half, it was a move which didn’t work out and at the end of the season, he moved on.
“It was very strange joining a team at that stage of the season,” Lawlor admits. “I hadn’t played for three months so I was trying to get match fit for the semifinals after hardly playing. There was an expectation that they would sign me the following season but I ended up moving to Salford City.” The move to The Ammies wasn’t one out of the blue, however. Lawlor had nearly signed for them the previous year but the move failed to materialise. He joined for the start of the 2018/19 season but would only spend two months at the club after never getting a shot in the team.
“Graham Alexander came in after I signed and I was the 4th choice centre half from the start. For the first seven games I wasn’t even in the squad,” Lawlor continues. “I knew I wasn’t going to play straight away as the two centre-halves had done well and helped them win promotion. I heard Wrexham were interested and thought it was a great opportunity for me.”
The move to Wales provided some stability for Lawlor who was looking to get back in a team, playing consistently. The defender explains how turning up to watch the first game was a wow moment as the streets were just full of people in Wrexham tops.
“The club is massive. They get 5000 fans every week, they’re a proper club and too big a club for the National League so the sooner they get out the division the better.”
In his first season, Wrexham started the season well and were top at Christmas under the stewardship of Sam Ricketts. However, when
he left to manage Shrewsbury halfway through the season, Lawlor confesses the team “slipped off” and just about finished in a playoff spot. A fractured shoulder meant Lawlor couldn’t help his side avoid defeat to Eastleigh.
The second season saw Wrexham fail to move forward and Lawlor believes the club were “lucky” to stay up, as an early end to the season saw the Welsh side finish 19th in the National League. As Wrexham’s season was finished, Harrogate still had work to do in the playoffs and Lawlor was so nearly a part of that.
As the season halted in March, Simon Weaver had contacted the defender to say he wanted him to join for the playoffs if transfers were allowed. When it was confirmed that couldn’t happen, Weaver gave Lawlor his word that no matter which division Harrogate would be in for the 2020/21 season, Lawlor would be offered a contract.
It meant for the playoffs, Jake Lawlor became Harrogate Town’s number one fan.
“I was watching the final, wanting Town to go up but I did think is there more chance of me signing if you stay in the National League?”, Lawlor chuckles. “I was rooting for Harrogate to go up and the fact they did was just incredible, especially with the journey the club has been on. It’s so tough to get the National League but Harrogate just carried the momentum that they’d been building over the previous couple years.”
After promotion, Simon Weaver kept his word and Lawlor signed for Town but the defender admits that at first, it wasn’t easy settling in.
“It was good to be back playing football but it was also a strange one. It’s always hard coming into a new club and although I knew of the lads from playing them in the National League, it was hard coming to the club trying to make an impact when everyone is flying and doing well. At the same time though, my game has only improved being around a group who have been in such good spirits.”
Away from football, this week is expected to be a very special one for the defender, as he and his partner are expecting the birth of their first child. Lawlor jokes that it could be a close call to match day and that his phone will be kept on loud, just in case. With a new addition to the family just around the corner, Lawlor begins the next chapter of his life, and although he still has years left of playing football, he already knows that a younger him would have loved the opportunities that have come his way.
“As a 10-year-old, I’d have probably taken the career I’ve had so far. As a 17-year-old, drinking in Huddersfield with my mates and playing football for £20 per week, I’d have snapped your hand off to be a professional footballer. At that age, I never thought it would happen so I’ve got to be happy with what I’ve done and achieved.”
