Christian Jolley admits retiring from playing was a “hard decision but the right one” as he embarks on a new fitness coaching role as part of boss Alan Dowson’s management team at Woking.
The combative 31-year-old midfielder, who enjoyed a superb career with AFC Wimbledon, Newport and Grimsby before stepping back into the non-league game, is excited about the club’s National League future – having “given up the ghost of playing” due to persistent ankle problems – and relishes his new job.
Jolley played 20 times for the Cards last term – including massive games against Swindon Town and Watford in the FA Cup.
He is studying physiotherapy and runs a sports massage and movement therapy business, and aims to make a valuable contribution to the Woking squad’s well-being.
“I’m really excited for the future,” he said. “I’m going to help in any way I can whether that’s my experience of helping youngsters or my new knowledge of treatment and the health side of things.”
His relationship with Dowson is key, and he said: “Me and the gaffer go back a long way and we discussed how we could work things out.
“It’s a great honour to work at a National League club. It’s really going places and it’s exciting to be part of that. I’m intrigued and excited to see where Woking go.
“It’s a Football League club in the making but we have to consolidate first. We need to respect the level, consolidate and be a National League club to be reckoned with.”
On his retirement, Jolley reflected: “It was a grown-up decision and the right one in the mind but my heart is a bit heavy. It’s going to take a bit of getting used to. I’m grateful the club has given me a foot in and I’ve still got a part to play in the game I love.
“I’ve had an unfortunate 18-month spell and it would take medical intervention and a long period out of the game to come back again. I have got to a stage where there’s more to life than [playing] football. I am grateful for the journey I’ve had and I want my body for later years and for family and so on.
“When you are semi-pro you need to be fit for work on a Monday and that was what I was struggling with. It was compromising all aspects of my life.”
Eloquent Jolley cites helping AFC Wimbledon - the club that gave him his first professional contract - return to the Football League as a highlight, while he played “my best football” at Newport. There he scored the first goal in a 2-0 win against Wrexham in the 2012/13 play-off final at Wembley to help the club back to the Football League after a 25-year absence.
He was named in the 2012–13 Conference Premier team of the year. A spell at Grimsby followed, and he added: “When you sign up to be a footballer you don’t think about the travelling, trying to make relationships work and the other side of things that make you a better person.
“It’s amazing to think I played professionally at the level I got to.”
Dowson added: “I’ve known Christian for 12 years and he knows how I work. Whatever he does to help he will be a success at it.”
Woking followed up their 1-1 draw against League One Oxford United on Saturday (July 13) with a 3-2 loss at home to Wycombe Wanderers on Tuesday night (July 16).
Trialist Ibrahim Meite scored both goals in what was a useful run-out against The Chairboys and he is a man boss Alan Dowson will take a further look at in tomorrow's friendly against Salford City (July 19).
The Cards manager is hopeful a loan deal can be worked out for the Crawley Town forward – who has a year left on his contract with the League Two club – providing he impresses this weekend, with a match also scheduled for Saturday (July 20), against Dunstan UTS.
