LLOYD KERRY PLAYER INTERVIEW
LLOYD KERRY HAS BEEN A PIVOTAL PART OF TOWN’S EPIC RISE. FROM EARLY PLAYING DISAPPOINTMENTS, CAREER THREATENING INJURIES AND LOCKDOWN TO HISTORIC PROMOTIONS AND THE CHALLENGES THAT LIE AHEAD, LLOYD TELLS IT ALL... INTERVIEW BY HAL BOXHALL-DOCKREE / RICH SALTMARSH
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ONE MAN who has been an instrumental figure in Town’s recent success is Lloyd Kerry. At the age of 32, the Chesterfield-born man is the longest current serving Town player, making over 130 appearances during his six seasons with the club. The midfielder has seen alot in his time at Town - turning full-time, being promoted to the National League and of course helping the club make history by earning promotion to the English Football League for the first time in August. “Obviously when I joined the club we were part-time in the National League North and over a short space of time progressed massively as a club both on and off the pitch and it’s been great to see and be part of the progression. We’ve gone from strength to strength both on and off the pitch - it’s all going in the right direction.” Recalling his first impressions of Town when he arrived, things were very different back then. “It was completely different to what it is now. I remember my first pre-season training session was at Wetherby Rugby Club – the sloping pitch and the clubhouse behind the goal was just getting built at the time. It just shows how 4 I About Town
far we have come in such a short space of time - things are a lot more professional now - there is no doubt in my mind that the turning point and the best decision was to go full time, and like I say, it’s just great to have been a part of it.” Kerry himself has faced battles of his own to get to this stage. From being released from clubs at a young age, to near career-ending injuries, the midfielder has seen it all. As a youngster, Kerry was part of Sheffield United’s setup, earning a two-year professional contract at the age of 18. He would have loan spells at Torquay United and then Chesterfield before signing for The Spireites for the 2008/09 season. However, it didn’t go quite as planned. “My first year (at Chesterfield) went really well – I played 30 odd games” Lloyd explained. “But the next season Jon Sheridan came in as manager and for whatever reason, I just didn’t fit into his plans going forward.” The decision was made for him to go out on loan with the midfielder surplus to requirements for the remainder of the season. Lloyd describes that as the “most stressful” period of his career. He was a young footballer, who was now without a club and a genuine loss of love for the About Town I 5
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“ I REMEMBER SPEAKING TO SIMON WHO WAS KEEN TO SIGN ME ON A TWO-YEAR DEAL. I HAD INTEREST FROM A FEW CLUBS IN THE CONFERENCE BUT SIMON SOLD ME THE CLUB AND I HAVEN’T LOOKED BACK SINCE.” LLOYD KERRY
game. It was Hinckley United from the Conference North who came in for Lloyd where the midfielder was able to find his love for the game again. “I had a season of simply not enjoying the sport” Kerry confessed. “My confidence was shot to bits and it was playing at Hinckley where I found my desire again.” Lloyd would move on from Hinckley to Tamworth in the Conference Premier for two seasons before Town came into the picture in 2014. “I remember speaking to Simon (Weaver) who was keen to sign me on a two-year deal. I had interest from a few clubs in the Conference but Simon sold me the club and I haven’t looked back since.” Lloyd’s time at Town has been a huge success but it hasn’t come without obstacles. The midfielder had a nightmare 2016/17 season with two serious injuries meaning he barely stepped foot on the pitch for the best part of a year. First he suffered a double fracture in his eye socket and fractured cheekbone early in the season which put him out of action for four months and then, just as he got back into the rhythm of things again, he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament 6 I About Town
(ACL) after turning sharply to move out of the referee’s way!
you learn to appreciate the game much more and to have a set back like that, come through it and then be part of the teams’ recent successes, it makes it all the more sweeter.” Despite these setbacks, Kerry would go on to play a key role in Town’s promotion to the National League the following season in 2018. He played an hour in the National League North Promotion Final against Brackley Town, which is a memory he will never forget. “That day was brilliant, up there with the highlight of my career. So many players will go through their careers with no promotions so to get that and be involved was great and to share it with the fans, was so special.” Last season, Lloyd was again unlucky with injuries, spending much of the first half of the season on the sidelines with an ankle injury. However from December onwards, Lloyd returned and solidified his place in the starting XI. It is surely no coincidence that his return to action coincided with a turnaround in Town’s form, culminating in the historic National League promotion play-off final win over Notts County at
Wembley in August which is obviously up there with the highlights of his career. “The two promotions obviously stand out for me as highlights, but on a personal level, in the first game back after my face injury, I scored against Salford which was a good moment and again recovering from my ACL injury and getting back that season to be part of that promotion to the National League Premier is up there.” The last 12 months have been unique for so many reasons and Kerry appreciates that it could all have been so different but a series of ups and downs ended in the best possible way at Wembley on 2nd August 2020. “It’s been a rollercoaster year emotionally – we were in a great position pre-lockdown and we were all confident that we could catch Barrow as they went on a bit of a wobble. Then lockdown hit which was a good opportunity to spend some time with the family and recharge the batteries but during lockdown you hear rumours of the season being null and void, which was a low feeling. Thankfully we got the chance of competing and the fate was in our hands. We
“It was a really bad rupture. Along with my ACL, I damaged my meniscus and medial collateral ligament so I did the full works. It was such a testing time. It’s one of the worst injuries you can get and many a player doesn’t really come back from it. I had to stay strong mentally and really make sure I wasn’t cutting any corners in my eagerness to get back.” “It was a traumatic experience and it took a while to be honest to get back playing normally and putting it to the back of my mind. The knee injury particularly was hard and I still do my strength work and I always will carry on doing so. That season was horrendous. I managed to get back from the facial injury and then I did my knee. My family and my kids got me through it – it helped going full-time especially with my knee as my rehab was managed superbly well and I was back in 8 months which really is the minimum time for an injury like that. Probably took a year for me to fully recover though but that was a time when my family and kids really got me through. I think when you have a serious injury like that About Town I 7
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to get going in League Two. Now we’re here, personally my aim is to perform consistently and play my part, help the team, give everything and take each game as it comes rather than setting goals. As a group were going in to the unknown a little bit so it’s a case of finding our feet, staying together and doing our best to finish as high as we can. We’ve got a great team spirit, the lads all get on well, we’re all on the same page and want the same things. It’s exciting.”
It’s been a long road for Kerry to get to this point in his career and he is relishing the challenge that the club’s league status this season will demand. “I’m really looking forward to it – I last played in the EFL 11 years ago for Chesterfield so to drop into non-league and get back into the EFL at 32 it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster but something that I’m really looking forward to and can’t wait
were happy with that and it obviously worked out great for the club in the end. The lads were really professional and looked after themselves and when we played Boreham Wood (in the play-off semi-final) were in great condition and really hungry and carried that through to the final.”
vocal – I’m sure it will be a great atmosphere.”
Playing behind doors has had its challenges and Kerry would love for the fans to have been able to share in the clubs’ successes over the Summer and looks forward to the first game when they are allowed in the stadium.
“It’s what you want as a player, to be playing week in, week out. But you’ve got to earn that right by training hard, taking chances and keeping your levels high as competition in this squad is very good. To be one of the more experienced players in the team, I feel like I have the responsibility and capability to deal with different situations. We’ve got some young lads in the squad and I try to give them information to help them in as much as I can.”
“Not having the Town fans at games does affect you, Wembley was particularly strange with such a huge empty stadium but we’re coping well and starting to get used to it. As a player it’s better to play in front of a crowd – it gives you a lift – we do miss that – that extra 10%, if you like, that the crowd give you. But it is what it is, we’re getting to play matches and were getting used to playing without a crowd at the minute. I can’t wait till they are allowed back, I think we’ll get a good reception when we do finally get to play in from of crowds at the EnviroVent. I know they have always been behind us and they will appreciate what we have achieved and done for the club and like they always are, will be behind us and very 8 I About Town
When the fixtures came out, there were certain games that Kerry was looking out for. “I was looking for the Mansfield Town fixture as I live between Chesterfield and Mansfield and I know quite a lot of Mansfield fans so I’m looking forward to that one. Also the Exeter fixture – one of my best mates, Nicky Law plays for them so that will be good and then obviously the big clubs like Bradford and Bolton who we play early on will be great occasions for the club.”
As one of the senior players, the opportunity to guide others and play a pivotal role in Town’s promotion to the Football League has been something the midfielder has relished and will continue to do.
Kerry signed a new contract extension with Town until 2022, something he feels will really help him as a player. “Signing the contract extension to 2022 gives me piece of mind that I’m going to be here for the next two seasons at least which helps as a player. I’m entering my 7th season with Town and know what the gaffer expects of me so will give my all for the club. Just a case of being as consistent as I can and playing as many games as I can.” About Town I 9