Photo – RB Media
Author – Ben Monti
Rory McAuley is an old-school, no-nonsense centre-back who loves a battle, puts his body on the line and isn’t afraid to get stuck in. Although, for someone whose main job is keeping the ball out of his own net, he does seem to spend a great amount of time attempting something acrobatic in the opposition’s box. I’m not sure there’s been a game yet where he hasn’t tried something extraordinary.
Scorey, as Deano calls him, joined Harborough from local rivals Corby Town after Gary Setchell arrived as Director of Football, bringing a wealth of experience from across the non-league pyramid. He’s won the National League North with King’s Lynn Town, experienced the other end of the table with Peterborough Sports and, by his own admission, still loves nothing more than going into battle on a Saturday afternoon. This season, he’s stepped into the starting eleven alongside Alex Morris, taking on the rather sizeable task of following Liam Dolman in a defensive partnership that has been so important to the Bees’ recent success.
But Rory has settled in well, and there’s clearly plenty more to him than winning headers and throwing himself in front of shots. He’s also a dad of two, runs his own roofing business and, apparently, has scored a couple of overhead kicks during his 18 years in senior football. So I wanted to learn a little more about his move from Corby, his experiences in the game, life alongside Mozza at the back, and who he is away from the club. Before we jump in, Scorey wanted to give a massive shout-out to everyone at the club, from the people who run it to the playing staff, matchday volunteers, and, last but not least, the media team.
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Ben: You joined a side where Liam Dolman and Alex Morris have formed an incredible partnership. What has it been like stepping into Bully’s shoes and becoming Mozza’s new partner at the back?
Rory: Firstly, they’re two incredibly experienced centre-backs, both top players and, more importantly, top blokes who are great company around the dressing room. I think there’s really healthy competition between all of us, which is exactly what you want at a successful football club. We all want to play, of course, but ultimately the most important thing is the team getting results. I genuinely believe that whichever combination of us plays, the outcome and level of performance will be the same. We’ve all played a lot of football, understand the position and know what’s required, so there’s a lot of trust between us.
Ben: You signed from Corby, so what’s it like being on the Bees’ side of that rivalry? What made you sign, and what are the biggest differences between the clubs?
Rory: They’re both great clubs. Corby is a club that has previously played at Step Two and has the ability to do so again, while Harborough are currently competing at Step Two and have a brilliant following that seems to be growing in numbers every week. For me, the decision to sign for Harborough was quite straightforward after Gary Setchell’s departure from Corby. I’d met Mitch several times previously, so I already knew what a great guy he was and had a good idea of the environment he was creating at the club. Combine that with Harborough pushing towards the top end of the league and having ambitions of promotion, and it made the decision an easy one. At this stage of my career, I still want to be somewhere competitive, where every game means something and where there is a genuine ambition to achieve something as a group.
Ben: Harborough are going to come up against some seriously strong opposition this season, and there will be many games where your backs are against the wall. As a defender, do you relish that?
Rory: I’d definitely describe myself as a bit of an old-school centre-back and, above everything else, a competitor. I love the competitive side of football and genuinely enjoy going into battle with my teammates on a Saturday afternoon. Defending, competing, winning headers, organising and doing whatever is required to help the team are the parts of the game I’ve always enjoyed. There’s no better feeling than coming away after 90 minutes knowing you’ve given everything, particularly when it results in three points. Even after playing for so many years, that competitive feeling hasn’t changed. Winning football matches is ultimately what keeps you coming back.
Ben: It feels like almost every game you’re attempting something acrobatic in the opposition’s box. Is that a conscious decision? Have you scored many worldies from those attempts?
Rory: No, it’s definitely not something I consciously think about, although I do seem to find myself in those situations from time to time! I’ve managed to score a couple of overhead kicks and a few goals while falling backwards — gracefully, of course — but that’s over the course of about 18 years of senior football, so they’re certainly rare! As a centre-back, you’re obviously not judged on scoring goals, so when one does come along, especially an unusual one, you enjoy it. I think instinct takes over in those situations rather than there being too much thought behind it.
Ben: You’ve played at this level before with King’s Lynn. What did you learn from that spell, how much does that experience help you now with Harborough, and has much changed since you last played at this level?
Rory: I played for King’s Lynn in the Conference North and was fortunate enough to win the league there. I’ve also played for Peterborough Sports while fighting at the other end of the table, so I’ve experienced both sides of competing at that level. Both experiences were extremely valuable and gave me a lot of knowledge, not only of the Conference North but of non-league football generally. The standard of non-league football seems to improve every year. The pitches, facilities, coaching, managers and players have all continued to get better and more professional. You look around now, and there are some fantastic clubs operating throughout the pyramid. I feel like non-league football is really thriving at the moment. The support clubs are receiving and the quality on the pitch continue to improve, and I can only see that progressing further over the next few years.
Ben: Who is Rory McAuley away from football? What do you do for work, what are your hobbies and interests, and who do you support?
Rory: Away from football, I run my own roofing business, GK Roofing Ltd, which keeps me extremely busy. I’m also a dad to a boy and a girl, so between running the business, football and family life, there isn’t usually too much spare time! My son is heavily involved in football himself, so a lot of my time away from playing is spent at the kids’ clubs, watching their activities or travelling around the country.