Quitting skipper job helped my form - May
Last updated 12:00, Friday, 09 May 2008
Star defender Kyle May reckons giving up the captain’s armband at Workington Reds helped him rediscover his best form – and put a smile back on his face.
The 25-year-old revealed that the burden of skippering the Blue Square North side during a tough season had been weighing him down.
May asked boss Darren Edmondson to relieve him of the captaincy in February when he hit a low ebb after suspension and a knee injury ended his run of 150 consecutive league appearances.
Fellow former Carlisle United player Graham Anthony took over the role and May rediscovered his form towards the end of the season to help keep Reds out of relegation trouble.
The decision also enabled him to clean up his act after the three-times Borough Park player of the year collected 12 bookings during a tough campaign.
He said: “I was captain for most of the season but I felt it wasn’t for me and that someone else could do it better.
“When things were going wrong I felt it was all my fault and I seemed to pick up more bookings for dissent for sticking up for my team-mates!
“I’ve always been honest during my career and, if I felt I wasn’t doing well, I would say. I know giving up the captaincy was the right decision.
“When Graham was suspended, Darren asked if I would take it back but I said no, and he understood. Since I haven’t been captain, I’ve played better football.”
May is glad he rebuffed a string of offers to return to full-time football and has no regrets about turning down the chance to join SPL-bound Hamilton Accies at the start of last season.
He could have been preparing to face Celtic and Rangers in Scotland’s top-flight next season after Scottish First Division champions Accies tried to tempt him with a two-year deal last summer.
But, after tasting full-time football with home-town team Carlisle and Gretna before joining Workington in 2004, he decided against giving up his job as an electrician.
May, who is hoping to join Cumbria police, said: “I’m really enjoying playing football at Workington and we’ve a great bunch of lads.
“I had talks with Hamilton and Northampton were also interested. It would take a lot for me to move on, and I felt I didn’t want the risk of going back into full-time football.
“I was scared of being in the same situation when I left Gretna with no job or career prospects. I’ve got a good trade behind me, and I’ve also applied to join the police force.”
