NIGEL Worthington has joked that he is considering letting physio Jeff Miller conduct this afternoon’s team talk at York City, following Chelsea masseur Billy McCulloch’s successful speech prior to Chelsea’s 1-0 win at Premier League title rivals Manchester City this week.

The revelation, made by Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho in the post-match press conference, that indecipherable Scotsman McCulloch had roused the team ahead of their crucial clash at the Emirates raised an interesting question – just how important are those final words before teams go into battle?

Worthington believes they simply serve as one last summary of a game-plan, discussed all week, but also recalls some equally unorthodox, pre-match methods during his playing career, including the time when he was asked to help down three bottles of champagne before tackling a Manchester United team, featuring the likes of Eric Cantona, Peter Schmeichel, Ryan Giggs and Paul Ince.

Speaking ahead of today’s home game with Cheltenham, Worthington laughed: “I might borrow Jose’s lad although he will probably be too expensive and I am not sure the chairman will have that, so I will probably finish up doing it myself or maybe Jeff Miller can do it. That might be a good idea because I can see why Chelsea did what they did.

“If the lad was going about it in the manner Jose said he was – shouting and screaming – the players would have seen that as fun. If Jose couldn’t understand him, then the rest of them probably couldn’t and it’s about getting football back to what it was years ago.

“You need that fun and those characters in the game because there are a lack of characters now and that’s what the game should be all about.”

On his own interpretation of a pre-match team talk’s value, Worthington added: “I look at it as more of a reminder of the work we’ve been doing during the week and what we need to do during the game.

“It’s about refreshing players’ minds but you can stand and chat day in, day out and, at some stage, you have got to let the players take responsibility and have their own heads. Then, you hope they have taken everything on board and can deliver it so the team comes away with three points.”

Recalling the most memorable team-talk during his 17 years as a player, Worthington said: “One of Big Ron Atkinson’s best ones was when he plonked three bottles of champagne on the table one Boxing Day morning prior to playing Manchester United at Hillsborough.

“He said he wanted every one of them empty before we finished breakfast and we were kicking off at 1pm.

“Looking back, it was a fantastic idea because, after an hour, the score was Sheffield Wednesday 3, Manchester United 0.

“But I think the champagne probably kicked in a little bit then and Manchester United and Cantona decided they were going to turn up and the game finished 3-3.

“That was Big Ron’s way and, while I am not saying it’s the right way, it’s a case of different things working for different people.

“It lifted the mood for a big occasion and it’s good sometimes to step back and give the players some space because you have to enjoy football.”

Having flicked through the history books, it would appear the City chief might have enjoyed his fair share of the bubbly on offer, as his memory of events is a little hazy.

Atkinson had actually left his post 18 months before and Trevor Francis was in charge of the Owls for the 1992 Christmas clash.


Minstermen front two to front up

STRIKERS Wes Fletcher and Ryan Bowman will be guest speakers at an East Riding Minstermen meeting on Thursday, March 27.

The night will take place at Pocklington Town FC and begins at 7.15pm.


Wise to steer shy of trio of kartists

RUSSELL Penn has told the people of York to stay out of the way of rookie trio Tom Platt, Chris Dickinson and Tom Allan on the city’s roads.

The Minstermen’s squad went go-karting this week with the youth-team graduates leaving most of their elders trailing behind in their slipstream.

One of those slouchers, 28-year-old Penn revealed: “The young joy-riders like Platty, Dicko and Tom Allan, who have all failed their driving tests, did better than the slower more sensible ones, like myself, who were indicating around corners.

“It was a good team bonding session though. We went for something to eat as well and it was a great craic getting all the lads together, which is vital at this stage in the season.”


Lowe on high to stake claim

KEITH Lowe is the new leader of The Press Player of the Year contest.

The 28-year-old defender, who only arrived at Bootham Crescent in mid-November, leapt above Wes Fletcher in the standings after receiving two points as our second-highest rated player during last weekend’s 2-1 victory at Fleetwood.

John McCombe, meanwhile, collected three points as The Press’ man of the match at Highbury.

The other point on offer went to our third-highest rated performer Russell Penn.

Josh Carson, meanwhile, picked up two Player of the Month bonus points for polling the most man-of-the-match votes from visitors to our website and followers of the @daveflettpress Twitter account.

To be in with a chance of presenting the February Player of the Month with his prize – a framed photograph – before a match at Bootham Crescent, vote for your man of the match from today’s home game with Cheltenham online or by tweeting @daveflettpress.

The Press Player of the Year latest standings: Lowe 21 points, Fletcher 20, Carson 19, McGurk 18, Oyebanjo 15, O’Neill 14, Brobbel 11, Montrose 11, Jarvis 9, Parslow 8, Ingham 7, Pope 7, Smith 7, Bowman 5, Chambers 5, Coulson 5, Davies 5, Clay 4, McCombe 4, Penn 4, Puri 2, Whitehouse 2, Kettings 1.

The Press Player of the Month for February latest standings: McCombe 3, Carson 2, Lowe 2, Penn 1.

Goals: Fletcher 12, Jarvis 9, Bowman 6, Brobbel 3, Carson 3, Own goals 2, Coulson 1, McGurk 1, Montrose 1, O’Neill 1.

Assists: Coulson 5, O’Neill 5, Carson 4, Bowman 3, Brobbel 3, Fletcher 3, Jarvis 3, Clay 2, McGurk 2, Smith 2, Cresswell 1, Davies 1, Fyfield 1, Hayhurst 1, Ingham 1, Montrose 1, Oyebanjo 1.

Bad boys: Montrose ten yellow cards; Oyebanjo, Whitehouse both six yellow; O’Neill, Smith both four yellow; Bowman two red, one yellow; Carson, Lowe, McGurk all three yellow; Cresswell one red, one yellow; Davies, Fyfield, Jarvis, Platt all two yellow; Chambers, Clay, Coulson, Hayhurst, Parslow, Reed all one yellow.