Gleeson hails Magpies’ side as the best (From Dorset Echo)

Gleeson hails Magpies’ side as the best

9:00am Saturday 16th March 2013 in Football By David Williams, Sports Reporter

JAMIE Gleeson has paid his team-mates the ultimate compliment by declaring that the current Dorchester Town side is just about the best he has played in.

Now in his eighth season at the Avenue, the 28-year-old signed a new two-year contract at the end of January and couldn’t be much happier with life at the moment.

And despite starting on the bench in the Magpies’ last few games, Gleeson, who gets married this summer, is glad to see the younger generation have a chance of first-team football.

AFC Hornchurch are the visitors to the county town today (3pm) with self-confessed running machine Gleeson ready to put in a shift whether it’s straight from the kick-off or as a substitute.

“I’m not a player who covers up if I have a bad game and I’m the first to say if I haven’t,” he said. “Whatever happens, good or bad, I will never stop running and it’s never a case of me not trying.

“That goes for all the players. We might not have a good day but we always work hard.

“I didn’t play as well as I normally would in a few games recently and that could be down to tiredness.

“The big clubs take players out all the time to give them a rest then they come back sharper than before.

“I do get through a lot of running and if I’m doing it all season long then maybe it will catch up with me.

“It was decided I needed a bit of a rest and, who knows, if we get into the play-offs I’ll be raring to go.

“I’ve had a good season and have no issue whatsoever with being on the bench.

“It’s good to have people like Lewis Morgan who can do the job and it’s not a problem for me.

“A few of the younger lads have got games and they need to because players like me and Mark Jermyn won’t be around forever.”

Gleeson has played in his fair share of Dorchester teams in not far off a decade at the club.

And he feels the 2012/13 vintage which enjoyed a memorable cup run, including that famous win over Plymouth, is right up there.

“It has been one of the toughest seasons because games have been coming thick and fast,” added Poole-based Gleeson.

“But if you said at the start of the season we’d get to the second round of the FA Cup and be challenging for the play-offs then I’m sure the manager, chairman, players and supporters would have taken it.

“But whatever happens from now on it’s been a great season and I think it’s probably the strongest Dorchester side I’ve played in.

“The club gets good value for money with the players we have.

“I could play at a club more local to me and maybe get paid more but I’m so used to Dorchester now.

“It’s one of those clubs where you are made to feel comfortable and everyone looks after you.

“Even our kit man is coming to my wedding which shows how close everyone is.”