Jason Bourne Interview (10/06/08)

Interview by Matt Harris

Regulars to Tunbridge Wells games know that one of the near-certainties from an afternoon at Culverden is a hands-on, committed performance from club captain Jason Bourne. Forming part of the defensive line for The Wells, but often pressing down the flank to assist the supply line to the attack, Bourne is never one to shy away from the action.

“When you captain any side it comes with the obvious responsibilities of discipline, and leadership - but most importantly you need to be the link between the gaffer and the players - communicating the manager’s instructions after we’ve crossed the line onto the field of play,” Bourne explains to www.tunbridgewellsfc.co.uk.

A local lad, Bourne grew up in Tunbridge Wells playing for North Tonbridge and Foresters before - at the age of 15 - getting involved in the youth development set-up at Hastings Town. “I was lucky enough to meet up with a guy called Clive Taylor who was heavily involved with the youth development at Hastings. My time there really helped my development as a player - the youth set up in Sussex delivers so many more opportunities for youngsters.

“With enormous guidance from Clive and playing in a very successful Hastings youth side I was lucky enough to play for Sussex County in a season that Hastings got into the FA Youth Cup Final. The following season I signed a contract for St Leonards who played in the Southern League at the time, and I had two great seasons there with some great players. When my daughter was born though, I decided that I wanted to play closer to home and joined Tunbridge Wells for the first time - then managed by Steve Clarke.

“We had a great side there, but lost a few vital players, and ultimately direction - and Clarkey lost his job,” Bourne recalls. “That seemed like a good time for me to test myself at a higher level again, and I went to the other extreme from playing around the corner for The Wells to signing for Great Wakering Rovers who where based in Southend, and playing in the Southern league. It was a great set up over there, with a fantastic bunch of lads - but the travelling was tough and with Martin Farnie returning as manager at The Wells (a man that I had, and still have, the utmost respect for) a move back home was too good to resist. Upon my return, Martin installed me as skipper of the side - and being a local lad, I am very proud of that.”

Two seasons later, and with Farnie having departed the club, Bourne remains club captain under the leadership of Mike Robbins. However, Bourne found himself at the centre of some unnecessary off-the-pitch mud-slinging issues around the time of the management change-over in October/November. This particularly focussed on the fact that his father Nigel was club chairman, and was accused of having acted solely in the interests of his son.

“It was a real shame the way the whole management take-over happened and at the time with Nigel as chairman of the club pending the Gary Stevens take-over I personally got sucked into the aftermath of the Martin Farnie era,” he reflects. “At that time a lot of things were said and printed by some nonsense tabloid websites to provoke some reaction, but in all honesty, I was surrounded by good people, and was able to focus all of my attention to my task in hand - captaining the side, and ensuring Mike Robbins’ instructions got through and that things began to turn around on the pitch.

“I’d like to think that all the talk and speculation had no negative impact on my performances - in fact, I believe it made me more determined to succeed.”

At first, though, things seemed to grow even darker over Culverden, culminating in a patch over Christmas/New Year when The Wells hit a particularly horrible patch of form, with goals flying in against them left, right and centre. Bourne found himself, not only the captain of the side, but one of the more established, experienced players in the team.

“Things got pretty bad, and I must be honest in saying that the light at the end of the tunnel seemed a long way off at that point. But during that time the manager and I would be on the phone almost every day, and I pretty much knew who he had coming in, what he had planned - and the direction in which we where going,” he recalls. “The biggest problem was making sure that everyone else kept faith in the bigger picture.

“A lot of players left when the going got tough, but you don’t have to look much further than the likes of Sam Phillips, Mike Lord and James Russell (to name a few) to realize that the whole process made the players who stuck with it and endured into real quality players. I just knew that by remaining focused on what we where looking to achieve we would not have a problem, and eventually we added a bit of quality to what we had, and, not individually, but collectively we got out of the slump.”

Indeed, after The Wells turned their season around, last year could be divided into two halves - the first 16 matches, in which 11 games were lost, just 19 goals scored and 46 were conceded, and the second 16 matches in which just four were lost, nine won, 34 goals scored and only 14 (or 0.875 per game) conceded. But what happened from a defensive perspective from that 2-1 away win at Slade Green that marked the turning point?

“For starters,” Bourne offered, “that game marked the return of Brad Sandeman from a long-term injury lay-off. He came straight back in as calm and assured as ever - and that was felt throughout the side. Slade Green was always a game we should have been looking to win. The week before, we played high-flying Hythe Town at Reachfields, narrowly losing - but I think that game was the turning point, personally. We hadn’t played for a good month before that due to bad weather, and in that time we re-grouped and shook off the losing habit.”

Taking the defensive form of those last 16 matches, and applying it to an entire season would render a total of 28 goals conceded, which, for Season 2007/08, would have given The Wells the meanest defence in the league - and Bourne can see no reason why this can’t be carried into next Season.

“There’s no reason at all! Like I said previously, our players have all grown massively over a fairly eventful season and that is our target for the forthcoming season - to better what has gone before.”

Specifically, Bourne identifies that the defence will need to take the time during pre-season to work as a settled unit. “We can always look to better the understanding we have of each other - these things will all come in time, and a good pre-season will help us with that no end.

“And personally, I’m always looking to get sharper, fitter, quicker and stronger - so a good, tough pre-season should bring out the best in me, and the other players around me, setting us up for a good campaign ahead,” Bourne promises.

But it was his closing remark that should make Tunbridge Wells supporters sit up and take some notice that this club is aiming purposefully towards a goal these days. “Promotion into the Isthmian League would be a great achievement for this club. I’m certainly not here just to finish mid-table in the Kent League every season!”