Alex Bailey

By Phil Tooley

The right back position's been one that's been a bit of a problem one to fill for the last few seasons. Gareth Davies and Kevin Dawson have performed heroically there when called upon, but their favoured team spots are in other positions. Gus Uhlenbeek had a season to remember (in an infamous rather than famous sort of way) last term and the season before that, Martyn Booty was used there but much of our play saw us use wing backs, Steve Payne and Ian Breckin played out of position there in 2000-01, so it's back to Jamie Hewitt's days that we really had a reliable player in the No.2 shirt playing in their natural position.

So when Roy McFarland brought in Alex Bailey to fill that role this summer, no-one was able to call whether it was a good move or otherwise. Twenty year old Londoner Bailey had no senior experience but had been schooled at Arsenal, not a bad thing to have on your CV.

He played in a couple of the pre season games but got a minor knock but was selected to start against Brentford and their left midfielder John Salako, a 34 year old veteran of top flight and International football, and the diminutive full back did well, keeping his experienced foe at bay and showing defensive calm and attacking speed to make us all feel that Roy may have found a little gem, he's been on the field for every minute of our opening few League games to date.

Everyone remembers their first senior game, so I asked Alex what he'll store in his memory banks for the rest of his life, "The Heat! It was about 110⁰ on the field and 100⁰ in the dressing room, but seriously, the spirit more than anything was what I'll remember. I played in quite a few youth teams at Arsenal and I've never known such spirit amongst 11 players and that stuck out in my mind a lot".

Alex stuck to his defensive duties with an occasional foray forward, but in the searing heat there was one memorable late burst to support Mark Allott that showed his fitness, speed and determination. His view? "Don't tell the boss, I'm meant to do that all of the time. Personally I was a bit disappointed, I thought I could've got forward a bit more. Halfway through the game, I realised it wasn't that kind of game. It was more defend your lines, squeeze up, a game of territory, I know we can play better but at the same time we got a win so no complaints."

With Davies and Dawson able to take over the right back role, there's plenty of competition for places and, as a newcomer to the first team scene, Alex understands the pressures, "This is a performance based industry, you've got to play well to keep your place, you can't rest on your laurels. Chief did his bit against Brentford before he got injured, Mark De Bolla ran around gallantly, it wasn't his day scoresheet wise but he did a lot of hard work and Tcham and Caleb both came on, got their goals, worked really hard so all four strikers contributed, so no complaints from me, the competition is healthy."

On the differences between Youth football and League One, "The most obvious thing is that it's a more aerial game, and you could say I'm vertically challenged compared to some! But as the season progresses I'm looking to build up my stature a bit, not to bulk up too much, but I know how to use my body, I know how to tackle and jump so I just have to adapt to the game, the aerial ball, the physical side of it. Hopefully the supporters won't see me get pushed around too much."

Alex was a latecomer to the game, starting when he was around 14. He played Sunday League football for a

year or two before getting picked up by Spurs for a year, but that was cut short and Arsenal nipped in to claim Alex as a scholar. His view on his time at Highbury, "I couldn't quite make that final breakthrough but luckily the Boss has given me my chance here and I'm looking to repay him for that. Even though Arsenal didn't lose a single league game last season, I still feel as though I could have done better and see it as a disappointment." However you can't be around the great Arsenal players and not learn something, Ashley Cole is the role model that sticks in Alex's mind, "The way that he defends one on one, and how once you win the ball from the opposition the best thing to do is counter attack as fast and as quickly as you can and when that breaks down to get back into position. It's all about being a reliable defender for your team but at the same time being another attacking source down the wing so hopefully as the season goes on I can get that into my game. That's Ashley's game and one I'll try to match."

Will he be looking for the Gunners' results first? "I think I might have an eye on Arsenal, I should say West Ham, which is round the corner from my house but growing up as a lad, I was brought up with John Barnes and Liverpool, so I'd probably look out for their result first, I'm a bit of a glory hunter."

Finally, what aspirations does the newcomer have for this season? "To get as many first team games under my belt as possible. I know there'll be time that I may get pulled to the sidelines for whatever reasons from the Boss but I hope to help Chesterfield perform like I know we can play, they've progressed well in the Cups over the years but haven't quite achieved that in the League, so hopefully we can improve. I want to be a part of that."