WEYMOUTH’S assistant-manager Tim Sills has felt both ecstasy and agony on and off the football field.
He scored the winning goal that took Torquay United back to the Football League but he has also suffered heartache – finishing runner-up on quiz shows Wogan’s Perfect Recall and Take It or Leave It.
But the all-or-nothing run-in with Weymouth, that sees them sit five points off the play-off spots with three games to go, has just as much pressure riding on it as any national television show.
Heading into today’s must-win game against Merthyr Town in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier Division at the Bob Lucas Stadium (3pm), he told Echosport: “The door is closing on us.
“It is a tall order to reach the play-offs from here. We’ve got to win our three games and see what happens.”
Back in 2008, Sills scored the second goal at Wembley for Torquay in the Conference play-off final, and he knows the sort of pressure the Terras are under as they chase a play-off spot.
“The pressure comes from ourselves, we know what we’ve got to do. We’ve got to put pressure on the teams above,” he explained.
Sills has already helped the Terras lift some silverware this season, scoring twice in their 2-1 win over Gillingham Town in the Dorset Senior Cup final on Tuesday night.
He is hopeful the cup win can help boost their league form.
Sills added: “It is important, those cup competitions. They can give you confidence and hopefully it can help us get another win under our belts and build that momentum.
Sills has spent the season as Jason Matthews’ assistant-manager, something that has given him fresher legs albeit some more grey hair.
“It’s been an eye opener,” he said. “Sometimes it has been tough watching from the bench, but it’s allowed me to make an impact as others have had tired legs at the end of the season.”
Sills has fallen at the final hurdle before in front of a big audience and is hoping it doesn’t happen again with Weymouth.
“I’ve had heartbreak twice on quiz shows,” he said. “I don’t want another one this season.”
The Terras will hold a fans’ forum in the HSS Hire Lounge after today’s game at 6pm.
