Duty calls for flying secretary Speight!

After flying up and down the pitch at Rookery Hill as an emergency linesman at the weekend in the Ryman League's top flight, East Thurrock United’s secretary Neil Speight isn’t ruling out a late call-up from manager John Coventry for a new full-back!

Speight, pictured in action during the club’s 0-0 draw with Wingate & Finchley in the Ryman Premier on Saturday, was enjoying a half-time pint when the call went out for help following an injury to one of the match officials.

Despite not taking charge of a game since the 1990s in the Scarborough area, the 56-year-old Rocks official who also edits the Thurrock Enquirer and qualified as a referee with the North Riding FA, grabbed a flag and headed out for the second half.

Speight, who’s been secretary at the club for the last five years and last week acted as an emergency stretcher-bearer, joked on Monday that he’ll be ready if the call comes.

He said: "I'm not sure our manager John Coventry was convinced it was a good idea. You should have seen the look on his face when the ref Alan Dale was briefing him and the Wingate team! I'm not sure he thought I could keep up with play which I can't blame him for I suppose. After all I was dragged out of the bar and away from my pint to do it and I think he told the lads to defend so deep I wouldn't have to make any offside decisions!

"It made it an interesting afternoon. The week before I was on the pitch as a stretcher bearer so who knows what's next. We're a bit thin with injuries, maybe the way I flew up and down the wing will convince ‘Covo’ I could be his next full back! Mind you I'll have to a new pair of boots. I borrowed a pair from our assistant manager Jay Devereux and they gave me a big blister."

Not everything went to plan either for Speight who happily admitted afterwards that a bit a rustiness could have cost his club dearly in what turned out to be the tightest of draws.

He said: "I only had to make one decision and I did mess that up! Wingate's No 9 always pushes on five yards past the last defender from goal-kicks but obviously he can’t be offside. We had a free kick deep in our box from our own offside and he did the same thing.

"I spotted that made him off as he came back to challenge and I flagged by instinct, which was right, but then panicked and dropped the flag as, in an instant, I somehow reverted to thinking it was a goal kick. Alan waved play on and all I could think as Wingate raced through was 'Covo' will kill me. Fortunately the chance came to nothing and it shows how tough it is to make decisions in a spilt second!"

He added: "Seriously though, I was just glad to be able to help and that we got away with completing the game. Credit to Alan Dale and also Wingate who were very sporting about it all and I just hope that it turns out to be a one off! I’ve had the ‘Michael’ extracted greatly by lots of our supporters so I don't mind a few more having a laugh at a fat linesman!"