Stratford Town v Shrewsbury Town preview: Daniel Udoh eager to avoid FA Cup’s Shakespearean tragedy
Daniel Udoh knows all about the trials and tribulations of being part-time footballer in the non-league game.
The Shrewsbury Town striker is well-versed in the Midlands non-league scene. Stratford Town are one of few teams he was not involved with in a busy period of short-term stints and loans over a handful of years before settling in Shropshire with AFC Telford United and Shrewsbury.
Udoh, who was handed a new contract by manager Steve Cotterill in the summer, has worked his way to the front of the pecking order for Town this season.
And, as Shrews begin their FA Cup campaign at lowly non-league minnows Stratford tomorrow – live on the television – Udoh knows more than most of his team-mates just how much the sold-out tie means for tomorrow’s part-time hosts.
Udoh, 25, recalls: “It can be tough, I remember working at Frydays (fish and chip shop) in the town centre, doing deliveries of fish and chips and then having to go training.
“Luckily Gav Cowan (Telford boss) gave me a job coaching, you have to pay bills at the end of the day, non-league footballers are the same as someone with a job, you have to get work while you play football as well.
“Some days were tough, but I didn’t have it as tough as some of the other boys, who were bricklaying and building and stuff like that, so I can’t really complain too much.”
Udoh played step three of non-league football for the likes of Essex club Grays Athletic, briefly, in the Isthmian League, before stints at Ilkeston and Halesowen Town further north.
He would also feature for Worcester, Solihull, Leamington – where Udoh was team-mates with current Stratford duo Ahmed Obeng and Joe Magunda – and Chester before he pitched up at Telford.
As he discusses the brutally physical nature of non-league, Udoh conveniently bears the war wound of a nasty recent collision – an aerial clash with Cambridge keeper Dimitar Mitov – that left the latter worse for wear and a scar on Udoh’s forehead leading to Harry Potter taunts from team-mates.
“It’s physical, tough, long balls, hard-working teams,” the frontman said. “I remember just chasing the ball trying to keep it in, working hard for the team, traits I try to keep now.”
“This is football, we have to go and play to our best, have the right mentality and then it (upsets) won’t happen.
“If we win then we’re supposed to win, if we lose it’s going on ITV news in the morning, that Shrewsbury Town lost to Stratford.”
Cotterill has preached respect for step three Stratford and when quizzed about the main message from the manager, Udoh replied: “The first thing he said before the meeting started is that you have to show them respect, whatever step they’re in, we have to have the right mentality and give them the respect they deserve.”
“It’s like when we played Liverpool last year, they had to show us respect because we showed them we could play them for that game.”
Udoh, the scorer of Town’s first goal under Cotterill against non-league Oxford City in the FA Cup last year, recently became a first-time father and would love score in front of his newborn son Elijah watching on at home.
“It’s 3pm, so he should be awake hopefully, he’s had his nap by then, so he should be watching with his mum,” the Town favourite smiled.
“I’d love a goal for myself, the team, for us to just progress and get through to the next round.”
