TOMORROW, like every other Sunday morning, a pile of news-papers will land on the doormat of Neil Webb’s village home near Reading.
And when they do, the former Manchester United and England midfielder will launch into a routine that he’s followed religiously for almost three-and-half-years.
“It’s the same every week”, he said. “I grab the papers, sit down with a coffee and the first thing I do is turn to the non-League results and see how Weymouth got on.”
Webb’s interest in the Terras stems from his brief spell in charge at the Wessex Stadium which began in a blaze of publicity on July 9, 1997, but ended in difficult circumstances just 70 days later.
He explained: “Getting the Weymouth job was a dream come true at the time and I wish I was still there. But unfortunately I was hit with a number of personal problems, including a rather public divorce, and all the travelling down to Dorset was proving too much to handle.
“On that basis I decided to leave, but it’s a decision I very much regret having had to make, although I really think I had no other option at the time.”
“It may have been short and sweet, but I really did enjoy my time at Weymouth and at least I can say the team won promotion in the season I was there and it’s good that they’ve consolidated in the Premier Division and people like Lawsy is still finding the back of the net.”
He added: “I was also pleased when Andy Mason got the manager’s job last year. He’s a terrific lad and someone I really enjoyed playing alongside and I can’t think of a better man to be leading the side.”
“But the fact that he’s in charge means he must have bought himself a watch”, Webb joked. “When I was there Andy was late for absolutely everything.”
And besides a Terras win at Dagenham today, there’s something else the FA Cup and Littlewoods Cup winner wants.
“I’ve stayed out of football since Weymouth, but I think I’m just about ready to have another crack at management and I hope an opportunity will come along soon.
“I’m in touch on a regular basis with people like Jan Molby at Kidderminster and Nigel Clough at Burton and the more I talk to them, the more tempted I become in doing something.
“Aside from that, I’m going into business with a friend soon and so hopefully that will go well and I keep myself fit for things like the Sky TV Masters six-a-side tournament, which I won with the Nottingham Forest old boys just the other day.”
Meanwhile current Terras boss Andy Mason was delighted to hear of Webb’s on-going interest in the club.
“Neil was a magnificent player in his day,” he said, “and it’s very humbling to hear him saying nice things about me.
“He made a big impression on the club during his stay here and the boys will be boosted by his good luck message for today’s game at Dagenham.”