Keith Rowland drawing on Northern Ireland home pride ahead of Aveley’s FA Trophy trip to Notts County with Wembley the goal

Keith Rowland will draw on his Portadown home roots for inspiration this weekend as Aveley visit Notts County two games away from a showpiece appearance at the home of English football.
Portadown-born Keith Rowland in action for Northern Ireland against Germany during a qualifying game for the 2000 European Championships. Pic by Pacemaker.Portadown-born Keith Rowland in action for Northern Ireland against Germany during a qualifying game for the 2000 European Championships. Pic by Pacemaker.
Portadown-born Keith Rowland in action for Northern Ireland against Germany during a qualifying game for the 2000 European Championships. Pic by Pacemaker.

The FA Trophy quarter-final tie offers an ultimate reward of walking out at Wembley on the final stage and former Northern Ireland international Rowland is relishing the latest test of his management credentials.

Three tiers of England’s non-league pyramid structure separate Aveley from hosts Notts County - the latter having been relegated out of League Two - but Rowland retains full faith in his players and will take lessons from past personal progress as part of preparations.

“I’ve been in the game over 30 years basically, with a playing career spent in professional football and my coaching and managerial time across the non-league scene,” said Rowland, who played top-flight football for West Ham United. “I played under managers like Harry Redknapp and Gerry Francis and take a lot out of those experiences, the highs and lows.

“But although I’ve now spent longer living away from Northern Ireland than at home, I’ll never forget the lessons and values from my family and friends growing up in Portadown.

“I still look back with joy at those days spent playing football from morning to night against boys much older around Killicomaine and how everything from that time helped to shape me and still comes into my approach to management.

“Talent alone is never going to be enough to make it and I was able to build a career by getting the most out of my ability on top of showing the right attitude.

“That’s part of what I will be looking from my players against Notts County.”

The Isthmian League North Division-based club attract average crowds of 350 but can expect to tackle Notts County in front of approximately 3,000 on Saturday at 12.30pm.

“We have played 10 ties or so to reach this point and the praise must go to the players and people who run the club,” said Rowland. “This is my second spell at the club and I came back in last August as manager so love it here, it is a great place and we have a smashing set-up.

“We are around the play-off positions in the league, which is what I expect, so go into Saturday as a reward for the hard work.

“I think non-league football is currently in a really healthy state and know through my contacts in the game how professional clubs keep on top of everything at our level, so Saturday is a platform too for players dreaming of that move.

“I have a great bunch of players who work so hard and listen and learn.

“I remember playing at Notts County in front of about 15,000 and part of my job this weekend is to try to use my own past experiences to help the players embrace the occasion.

“We just want to give it a real go at Meadow Lane.”