Following our two part Question & Answer session with Weston player-assistant manager Scott Laird last year, we talk to manager Scott Bartlett this week.
Bartlett is now in charge of The Seagulls in his second spell, after being in charge for seven months between October 2016 and June 2017, and it has been almost two years, of a three-year deal, since being in the hot seat after leaving his role as Forest Green Rovers’ Academy Manager.
He celebrated 25 years in the game in 2020, having started out in AFC Bournemouth’s academy before moving to Cirencester Town, under David Hockaday, as a 16-year-old in 1995.
After five years with The Centurions, Bartlett signed for Salisbury in February 2000.
It was here that he picked up the Southern Premier title, enjoyed a Conference South Play-Off triumph and trips to Sheffield Wednesday and Nottingham Forest in FA Cup in his nine-year career with The Whites.
After playing over 400 times for Salisbury, Bartlett was released in March 2009 and went onto have spells with Weston, where he captained the side for a short spell, Bath City and Rovers before retiring in August 2011.
Despite hanging up his boots, Bartlett became Forest Green’s Head of Academy and raised their level to category three.
He also took charge of the first team and picked up four wins, one draw and one loss in his two separate spells as their caretaker manager in 2013, where he took over from former manager Dave Hockaday, and in 2016, after the departure of Adrian Pennock.
In his second stint as manager, Bartlett took charge of the 2016 Conference Play-Off final against Grimsby Town at Wembley.
A few months after the final, Bartlett took charge of Weston, where he secured National League South safety, with his side scoring an impressive 66 goals in the process.
In the first part of question and answer session, we ask Bartlett about his first memories of the game, his role models and what he has most enjoyed from his playing career.
Q.How old were you when you first played football?
A.I started playing properly when I was seven. My dad and a couple of others set up Amesbury Juniors FC in 1985, my mum as treasurer. We started with just two teams, an under-eights and under-10s. We lost our first game 8-0 to Harnham in Salisbury and I’m not sure if I even touched the ball!
Gradually we improved and eventually became one of the better grassroots clubs in Wiltshire. They now have over 150 kids in the system and are going strong.
Q.How did you first get into playing football?
A.My dad played locally and my brother and I went every Saturday and Sunday while he was playing. Back then you could be left during the game with a ball and a couple of jumpers for goalposts.
We used to go into the changing rooms before and after the game and would sneak a half-time orange if we were lucky. We never knew the score but if they won we used to go to the pub for a coke and a packet of crisps.
My dad was my manager, he used to keep a record book at home where he’d score each player after every game, I’d be devastated if I scored low.
Q.Who were your biggest influences in football growing up?
A.Firstly, my mates and my cousins, all we did was kick a ball about. We would stick our younger cousin in goal for the day and pay him with biscuits, he was a bit chubby back then and jumped at the chance! It’s fair to say he was motivated by a Custard Creme.
My parents were a huge influence obviously. They have followed my career from the start to now, they are very supportive. without them driving us all over the place as youngsters we wouldn’t have been able to play. Latterly, coaches like Nick Holmes, Sean O'Driscoll, Dave Hockaday were all very good to me and I learned a lot from them.
Obviously, I’ve been able to work with some fantastic people since I started coaching. 'Barks' (Chris Barker) was an amazing appointment in 2016 and became a friend for life, and 'Lairdy' has been brilliant for me in all aspects as well. I have some good friends in Gary Probert, Jon Parkin and Wade Elliot who are fantastic people.
Q.What are your best memories from football?
A.I think most will say that you enjoy playing the most when you are a kid, it was carefree and fun.
I played my first game for Bournemouth as an under-15 with Eddie Howe and did well, I enjoyed that one and loved my time there. I wasn’t quite good enough eventually but I did well enough, I felt at home and was well looked after.
I’ve been fortunate enough to be part of some good teams at the right time. We won three promotions with Salisbury and then another with Bath but the National League South Play-off final against Braintree was fantastic.
We won 1-0 with Matt Tubbs scoring for us against the run of play. It had been a long, hard season, we had finished second by a good distance but only one went up automatically. There was a bit of pressure but we got it done, the night afterwards was memorable.
I woke up in the first aid room back at the stadium on a stretcher, meanwhile Matt Tubbs was running round the pitch naked with Luke Prince re-enacting his goal!
Q.What are your best achievements from your playing career?
A.I captained Salisbury In an FA Cup tie away at Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough, that was a proud moment.
Through coaching it has been great seeing some good players progress and do well and obviously keeping Weston in the National League South during my first stint was a big achievement because we were doing that and trying to build.
Prior to that I was caretaker manager of Forest Green Rovers and getting them through a tough two-legged semi-final against Dover to the Play-off final at Wembley was a great experience.
Q.What was the best goal you have ever scored?
A.This will be easy as I didn’t score many once I started in senior football. I did score at Villa Park once for Cirencester College, which was an absolute beauty, left-foot top corner!
I think my most memorable would be the one against Fleetwood in the FA Cup for Salisbury. I slid in at the far post late on in the game, I couldn't really miss but it finished the game off.
We went on to draw 1-1 at home to Nottingham Forest live on the BBC in the next round before losing 2-0 in the replay at the City ground on Sky which was great for the club.
*See next week's Mercury for the second part where Bartlett talks about his time managing Weston and what will be keeping him busy during the third national lockdown.
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