'NUTCASE' RHINO GAVE ME INSIGHT

LEE Bircham may have plotted his own path to three straight promotions but some proper old-school values helped set him on his way.

- Andy Mitchell

Bedford Town’s Southern League Premier Division Central title had statisticians thumbing the record books as boss Bircham followed Step 5 glory with Leighton Town with success in the Step 4 play-offs in his first season with the Eagles.

Prior to launching his managerial career with Bovingdon, the robust right-back enjoyed a varied Non-League career with the likes of Beaconsfield Town, Ruislip Manor, Fisher, Greenwich Borough, King’s Langley, Leverstock Green and Aylesbury United during an era typified by the style of his greatest gaffer — Millwall legend Keith Stevens.

He might have been an “absolute nutcase” but you always knew where you stood, a quality that Bircham believes will always stand the test of time.

WHO WAS YOUR GREATEST GAFFER AND WHY?

There are a few. I played more games under Steve Heath, who is now back at Kings Langley, than anyone else, and I really enjoyed my time under Tony Joyce who is now my number two, but my favourite was Keith Stevens at Fisher.

‘Rhino’ as he was known was an absolute nutcase but I loved him. He was managing Millwall where my brother (Marc Bircham) was and got sacked. A month later, he turned up at Fisher in the Dr Martens League so he went from my brother to me inside about six weeks.

Not all of the boys got on with him, they thought he was hard and confrontational but I thought he was a great bloke. He knew his football and he did a lot for me.