Callum Grogan- I love Radcliffe!

By Danny Pryer

Radcliffe defender Callum Grogan has preached his “love” for Radcliffe, after winning the club’s November Player of the Month award.

The 20-year-old Centre-Back has proved his worth to the side, after being part of a defence that have conceded just one goal in the 360 minutes of football.

Grogan feels great in himself for winning the monthly award, as well as telling the secret behind his form, but puts his love for the club down to “great people” and the “home” feel generated.

“It feels great to be recognised individually, which is always nice,” Grogan said. “But, the best feeling is that the team is doing well. We’ve won our last four (games), and everyone has been excellent this the past month.

“Personally I have put in the hard-work, and shown desire to keep my shirt week-in, week-out. All the lads in the dressing room are desperate to be in that starting 11 – but overall as a team we’re working hard and finding ways to win, even when we’re not at our best.

“I love this club, and I really feel at home here. It’s always been a great place to be, but never better than what it is now with great people around and doing well for each other.”

Milestone: Callum has made 80 Appearances for the Club and scored 7 goals since joining originally on loan from Shrewsbury in 2016.

As well as an individual honour, Grogan made his 80th appearance for the club against Kidsgrove Athletic. This is something he grants as a “big milestone” – but his main achievement throughout that time has been the improvement of himself, as a player, with also an aim to chip in with more goals.

He said: “(80 appearances) It’s a big milestone for myself. I feel I’ve improved a lot since my first loan spell here. I’ve learnt a lot to be honest.

“I am making a step up into the man’s game and learning how to defend first, then play football, and then how to win individual battles. I’m still learning more and will continue to.

“I’m currently on seven goals - yeah it’s always nice to chip in with a goal – and of course would like to add more in the future if it helps the team.”

The improvement of course, comes with the guidance and experience of the coaching set-up at the Boro, with the high-profile management team of Jon Macken and Frank Sinclair educating the squad.

Grogan said they want to play football on the floor - something in which they work on in training, but that style isn’t cast in stone – which makes for a good team spirit according to the defender

The Player of the Month added: “We have tried to be playing football a lot more, recently. That is the way myself, the team and the gaffer wants us to play - at the right times, which is great.

“We’re working hard off the pitch with staff to do it more. There is no great pressure on us to force that style of play all the time, or play it on the floor for 90 minutes.

“This actually makes a great environment for us as players to manage games our self, and to know when to do things and when not to.”