SM: Jake, you’re a former Trowbridge Town youth player – fill us in on what you’ve been doing since?

JS: I started my senior career at Hilperton United, then on to Westbury Town for half a season in the TDFL, before joining Trowbridge Town for the second half of the season. I then rejoined Hilperton for a few seasons, until they went over to form Westbury United Reserves and then stayed with them up to the end of last season. After a few of the boys left Westbury for TTFC during last season, and the decision was made to fold Westbury Reserves, the only place that made sense to me was to come back to where it all began; Trowbridge Town. Seeing their success last season, wanting to test myself at a higher level than I’d been playing and playing with my mates are all big draws for me.

SM: Thank you for the insight; it sounds as though you’ve always had your heart in and around the Trowbridge area. Tell us a bit more about your position, where you see yourself slotting into Ryan’s vision/tactics for this season, and your footballing influences?

JS: Positionally, I’ve been used as both a winger and striker throughout my playing time. In recent years, more so as a winger – thanks to regaining a bit of pace and fitness. I think that’s where I’ll be utilised mostly by Baggsy when called upon this season, and I’m more than happy to play that role. I’m a Man United fan, so growing up I was influenced by the likes of Beckham, Rooney and CR7 – I take a lot of inspiration in my position from them – Thierry Henry was another player that I looked up to as a kid too.

SM: It’s fair to say that we’ve had a mixed start to the season so far – what are your personal/team goals to try and get more results over the line as the season progresses, and what message do you want to send to our supporters, who have followed us to both away games and our home game last weekend in great numbers?

JS: From a personal perspective, I’ve got to shake this hamstring niggle to get back playing regularly and start chipping in with some goals. As a team, we’ve just got to continue gelling in the manner we have – there’s a lot of new faces playing together, and even those of us that have played together before need some time to get used to being on the park together again. We have to start being more clinical in front of goal, taking those chances by the scruff of the neck. The chances ARE being created and we’ve got the quality to make them count, so the goals and results will come – we have to keep believing in each other, in the tactics and training set out by the coaches, but also not be afraid to deploy plans B and C if we have to!I have been taken aback by the following over pre-season and into the season – to get the following we do home and away in Step 7, with so much competition in the surrounding area, has been superb – It was the same last season, and I suspect is always the case. The supporters, as cliche as it sounds, are noticed by the lads and really are our 12th man when we need to dig deep. The lads really appreciate everybody that turns up, home and away. Long may it continue and I hope we can share some success together this season.

Jake Samuel is a new signing for this season, and is sponsored by Wills Barbers of Westbury and Matt Little.