After 9 goals in 7 games, Gary Lockyer has the highest number in the national competition, putting him as the frontrunner for the Golden Ball award.
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00:00So, nine goals in the FA Cup so far, that's a great number.
00:04Now, Paul Mullen, who won the award in the 2022-2023 season,
00:09he also scored nine in that time,
00:12and that was enough to win him the award by the end of it.
00:14So, how far do you see Ashford, and yourself,
00:16going throughout the competition?
00:20So, realistically, you know, when we join at these early stages,
00:25you don't really think about getting to the first round,
00:28and it's sort of a dream to us to get to the first round,
00:31obviously, with the elite clubs,
00:33you know, your Football League clubs coming into it then,
00:36and financially being good for Ashford United as well,
00:41reaching these sort of targets.
00:44You just take game by game, really.
00:46So, you know, once we enter into the rounds
00:51that, you know, a lot of people don't even enter into,
00:54so you just take it game by game,
00:57and then you just crack on with it, really,
01:00and then once it gets a bit closer,
01:02then you start to dream a little bit more.
01:06Okay, and game by game, you say.
01:08So, I don't want you to give any of your secrets away,
01:11but could you talk to us a bit about your personal philosophy
01:13when it comes to scoring goals,
01:15and how the setup and the squad at Ashford helps you do that?
01:21Realistically, ever since a kid, you know,
01:24I started playing football when I was about 10 years old.
01:27There's nothing like it, scoring a goal.
01:29So, I base my game on goals.
01:32I'm a bit of an old-fashioned centre-forward,
01:34bit of a big lad, you know, hold the ball up.
01:37Teammates have been unbelievable this year.
01:40I've got some great, great players playing in there
01:43that have played at a really good level.
01:46They've won a lot of things in football.
01:49So, it's only credit to them
01:50as much as credit that I'm getting.
01:53You know, Ashford, since they reformed in 2009,
01:572010, I believe this is the furthest that they've gone.
02:00Obviously, being a local boy as well,
02:02so the ground is probably about two and a half miles
02:05from my house, to win the trophy,
02:09to win the Golden Ball would mean a lot more as well,
02:13I think, by being a local lad.
02:16How does it feel to be the current front-runner
02:19for the Golden Ball Award?
02:21What does that feel like?
02:25I would say more in the last couple of weeks,
02:26you know, with some of the attention
02:29that's come around it, it's been really good.
02:33It's made me want to get it even more.
02:36I think, you know, I've got...
02:37So, I teach an under-12s, Ashfordham District side.
02:41You know, some of the boys there are rooting for me.
02:43They're like, oh, come on, we need to get this,
02:45get some goals, get some more goals,
02:47get to 10, get to 11, you know.
02:50But with FA Cup football, next round,
02:54Churchill away is going to be a tough game.
02:56They're a league above us.
02:57So, you know, you've just got to take every game as it is,
03:01you know, give it your best shot,
03:03you know, put yourself in them positions to score goals.
03:07But yeah, no, I'm looking forward to it, really.
03:11I'm looking forward to seeing where I come
03:14or how well I can do.
03:16And then hopefully, you know, the elites
03:19or even a non-league footballer don't overtake me.
03:24Brilliant. Thank you so much for joining us.
03:27Thank you very much, mate.