Five years ago, Rob Sinclair was part of the squad that won promotion to the English Football League.
He finds himself in a scenario that he hopes will result in a similar outcome.
It was at the end of last year that Peter McCormack bought a football team, raising eyebrows around the football world with talk of them reaching the English Football League and eventually the premier league.
A club in the sixth tier of the English non-league game would have big dreams.
The team was led by Sinclair on the first stage of the journey.
They have won their first four games and scored 15 goals in the process, all of which were streamed live on their website.
Sinclair took his first job in management at Eynesbury Rovers, who finished ninth in the United Counties League Premier Division South last year, but was impressed by the vision of his new boss, and decided to take the job of Real Bedford manager.
When the approach was made, Sinclair was attracted to the challenge of managing in his home town, but he had some apprehension because of the reception the other boy received.
Sinclair said that Pete realised he made a mistake and shouldn't have been so open about it.
The football industry was very ruthless. It's great having ambitions, but sometimes you have to be realistic. A building process is what it is.
Winning football matches is my main goal. I know from watching him work that he is very good at social media and attracting sponsors.
The RealBedford story isn't just about a successful first team, it's about more than that.
McCormack, alongside chief operating officer Emma Firman and CEO Tom Pattinson, has formed a partnership with Bedford Ladies and Girls FC in order to "fast track" their goals and "provide them with the facilities and support they need to be able to get there".
Sinclair said it was about bringing together a whole community.
There was a negative reaction to the plans.
When Sinclair was at Forest Green, there was a lot of bad publicity.
I've never seen anything like what he, Tom and Emma are doing in the community because people don't like football teams being successful for some reason.
Sinclair needs to get the club on the bottom rung of the ladder so that the climb can begin.
Having to deal with that expectation makes him happy.
All athletes want to win. That's the reason I went to RealBedford. He said that he wants to win football matches.
I always wanted to be in teams that were challenging and I'm exactly the same now as a manager.
He doesn't expect a simple journey despite their strong start.
Dan Holman is a new signing for Northampton Chenecks. "This is not going to be an easy season because there's other sides at this level who are signing very, very good players so I'm under no illusion that it's going to be difficult."
All of Sinclair's former bosses have influenced his approach.
He said that he has asked questions of managers in the past and that he has spent so much time with them.
You have your own style, your own way of working, your own beliefs about how you want football to be played, and so on.
I was a player and have continued that into management. I like to play football and have fun.
I'm completely different from the manager on the sideline that I was in the past.
I disliked it as a player. I like to give information, but I also like to solve problems and take responsibility on the field.
The approach has paid off so far, with Tuesday's win over Letchworth Garden City Eagles keeping them at the top of the table.
The only way is up for RealBedford.
Rob Sinclair was talking to a radio host.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
