We travel to East Yorkshire this week for our Player Profile to learn about a popular NCEL defender – Hall Road Rangers centre-half James Piercy.
Name
James Piercy
Current Club
Hall Road Rangers
Previous clubs
North Ferriby (United and FC), Barton Town, Hall Road Rangers, Hull United.
Position
Centre-Half
Age
25
Day Job
Teacher
Best Mate In Football
Met a lot of great people through football. At the minute I’m closest to my centre half partner Knaggsy.
Team you support
Liverpool (Ole’s at the wheel)
Football Idol
Stevie G, nothing that man couldn’t do. No midfielders are made like him anymore.
Biggest Influence on football career
My dad, coached me from the age of 5 up to 16 and was my harshest critic which helped me a lot.
Still comes and watches me week in week out as well which always gives me a boost.
Career Highlight
There’s two big highlights for me.
Winning the NCEL Div 1 with Hall Road was a great moment and that last game of the season will live with me forever, the game had everything and the coach home afterwards was a joke.
Also, making my debut in the National League North. Away to Telford. Came on as a sub in what was as good as a Football League ground.
Biggest Regret in Football
I don’t really have any regrets to be honest.
The main thing for me has always to play football and enjoy it wherever I play and I believe I’ve done that so far.
Funniest moment in football
Has to be the coach trip home from when we won the league away at Campion which resulted in Rico’s (Dave Ricardo’s) shirt being thrown out the bus window onto the M62.
Whenever I see Witty (James Whittingham) try a step over as well or try take someone on 1v1 is a funny thing to watch.
First semi-professional manager
Within my first season I had two managers.
Jamie Waltham and Curtis Woodhouse and throughout my career so far, Jamie has shown so much faith in me and has given me plenty of opportunities within the football world and Curtis came in and being 17 at the time gave me some harsh truths and lessons in football and really toughened me up to the game.
Non-League Debut
Playing for Hull United and I actually came off the bench and went upfront.
Wasn’t long though before I was then shifted back into midfield and then to the back four.
First red card
My first red card was playing at craven park for Hull United. Think we were chasing the game to be honest and I’ve just brought a man down through on goal.
First and Best Goal
I can’t remember my first goal to be honest but one goal that always sticks to me is a goal against Grimsby Borough when we were going for the league, nothing special but was an important one in the race for the league as they were challenging and we beat them 1-0 and I got the goal. Let’s just call it a bullet header.
What do you want to achieve in football in the future?
My aims for football in the future are just to enjoy playing.
The last couple of years I started to fall out of love with the game and have nearly just chucked it altogether on a few occasions but the pandemic has shown me just how much I love playing footy on a Saturday.
If I finish my career and I have enjoyed it that’s all that matters.
Favourite Non League Ground
FC United of Manchester 100%, was like a party atmosphere when we went there with Ferriby and even though we were already relegated we won 2-0 and it was a great atmosphere in and around the place and even their fans applauded us off.
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