With 19 appearances already this season, Zack Chislett has been an important player for Corinthian-Casuals this term. His dad, Donovan, and grandad, Gordon, played professionally in South Africa – the latter representing the country in 1974 – and his older brother, Ethan, is impressing at AFC Wimbledon this season, so it’s safe to say Zack comes from a family of serious footballing pedigree. Zac Welshman caught up with our young wing-back to chat about family and football.
Before we start with football, we want to know a bit more about you. You were born in South Africa, tell us a little bit about how and when your family came to the UK.
Yeah, I was born in Durban. I wasn’t there for long, I came over when I was about two, but I’m proud to be South African. My dad was playing professionally out there but he did his knee and couldn’t play any longer, so we came over to England for work.
So your dad was a player, as well. Who did he play for?
A team called AmaZulu, they’re in the first division in South Africa. He was a right-back as well, same as me, so a very similar player.
It must’ve been ingrained in you to play as a right-back then.
Yeah, that can be a blessing and a curse at times because he can be a harsh critic. My granddad played as well – he played for South Africa, so it’s in the blood!
So was it your dad that got you involved in football?
Yeah, all the early pictures and the early memories were always about football. To be fair, my dad didn’t push it, it was just a thing, it was football or nothing really. And Ethan was already playing so I always used to play with him.
You touched on your brother there too, what’s it like growing up in a family so involved with football?
It shapes a lot of the mood around the house. If everyone’s had a good game, then we’re all buzzing, or if it’s the other way around, everyone’s a bit distraught really. But it’s always been like that, my dad always comes to watch, no matter where the game is or whose playing, he’ll always come to watch and support.
I actually played against Ethan in a pre-season match for Met Police. He was playing left-wing so we were up against each other. It was weird, I remember one point where I shouted “Man on!” to him, it was just instinctual!
Who came out on top in that one?
I’m going to have to say myself! He didn’t score, he didn’t get past me, so I’ll have to say me.
You said football shapes the mood around the house, is it the kind of environment where you go to the family for advice, or is it more competitive than that?
Yeah, I think it’s more for advice. It’s competitive in a way, I see him doing well and I want to do well but I know some people get competitive in the wrong way and it turns into negative actions when you want them to do badly, or you want to be better than them. But it’s never been like that with us, we want each other to be the best they can be, and that’s what drives us.
Moving onto Casuals, you joined in the summer from Hampton & Richmond. What were your first impressions as a young player coming to a club with such history, or did you just want to come in and play?
It was both, but the history dragged me to the Casuals. It means something to play for this club, and it means something to the fans. It’s different from any other club in this league, it feels bigger. There were a few clubs I could’ve gone to, but the history was a big motivating factor.
Even when you go into the clubhouse, you just look around and think this is massive, this is literally football heritage. You see the fans from Corinthians coming down on their football pilgrimage and I just think it's crazy, so I always take note of that, it’s very inspiring.
It’s such a significant club, but it's also such a welcoming club. Have you felt that on the pitch?
Yeah definitely, even when we were going through a sticky period at the beginning of the season, you’d never get the abuse that you might get somewhere else, you’d always get applauded at the end of the game and I would go over to the fans at the end of the game and shake their hand, it’s a different kind of support and I’m really liking it so far.
As you said, it was tough for a while at the start of the season. What was it like when the form started to turn around a bit and you could give back to those fans?
That was unbelievable, we were getting wins and it was like we were winning the World Cup, everyone was so buzzing! After that long run of defeats and kind of expecting to lose, now we’re changing the mindset to going to attack teams and going to go win games, recently the change in form has been really uplifting for the boys.
What was it like as a young player, to go through that tough run of results early on? Especially with your family being so involved in football, did you lean on them a bit more?
Yeah I did, to be fair, Ethan had a similar thing with Wimbledon at the end of last season, similar to us it felt like you were trying everything but it just wouldn’t happen. So I definitely lean on them. But it was tough, and it’s definitely been a learning experience, I don’t feel like a young player anymore! There are a few younger players in the squad now and I’m coming up on 100 senior appearances, so I feel more established and ready to give advice to some of the players in the team.”
Do you think that kind of attitude around the squad has contributed to the turnaround in form?
100 per cent. We brought in Reuben Collins and he’s been brilliant. He’s so positive and he’s always talking. Everyone’s in it together and everyone wants everyone else to do better.”
It was both, but the history dragged me to the Casuals. It means something to play for this club, and it means something to the fans. It’s different from any other club in this league, it feels bigger. There were a few clubs I could’ve gone to, but the history was a big motivating factor.
Even when you go into the clubhouse, you just look around and think this is massive, this is literally football heritage. You see the fans from Corinthians coming down on their football pilgrimage and I just think it's crazy, so I always take note of that, it’s very inspiring.
It’s such a significant club, but it's also such a welcoming club. Have you felt that on the pitch?
Yeah definitely, even when we were going through a sticky period at the beginning of the season, you’d never get the abuse that you might get somewhere else, you’d always get applauded at the end of the game and I would go over to the fans at the end of the game and shake their hand, it’s a different kind of support and I’m really liking it so far.
As you said, it was tough for a while at the start of the season. What was it like when the form started to turn around a bit and you could give back to those fans?
That was unbelievable, we were getting wins and it was like we were winning the World Cup, everyone was so buzzing! After that long run of defeats and kind of expecting to lose, now we’re changing the mindset to going to attack teams and going to go win games, recently the change in form has been really uplifting for the boys.
What was it like as a young player, to go through that tough run of results early on? Especially with your family being so involved in football, did you lean on them a bit more?
Yeah I did, to be fair, Ethan had a similar thing with Wimbledon at the end of last season, similar to us it felt like you were trying everything but it just wouldn’t happen. So I definitely lean on them. But it was tough, and it’s definitely been a learning experience, I don’t feel like a young player anymore! There are a few younger players in the squad now and I’m coming up on 100 senior appearances, so I feel more established and ready to give advice to some of the players in the team.”
Do you think that kind of attitude around the squad has contributed to the turnaround in form?
100 per cent. We brought in Reuben Collins and he’s been brilliant. He’s so positive and he’s always talking. Everyone’s in it together and everyone wants everyone else to do better.”
We saw the end of that losing streak against Herne Bay back in October. Did it feel like it was coming for you guys?
Yeah, to be honest, it did. I felt during the weeks before then that we were growing and performances were getting better, we were getting a bit more confident, it was just a matter of time before we got that first win.
That was Justin’s first game as manager. Looking back on it now and seeing how the form has improved since then, do you see that day as the turning point?
I think that was definitely the turning point. Most of all for the mindset, to be honest, just wanting to go and attack teams, being a bit more on the front foot and exciting. Especially in that game, we were so much more exciting than we had been before, getting it wide, getting it in the box, keeping the ball but being positive with it. That was definitely a turning point, and the results after that showed as well.
In your position, you have to be so in tune with the other players at both ends of the pitch, is there anyone you’ve got that sixth sense with yet?
To be fair, there’s a couple. Defensively, me and Simba [Kudyiwa] have a really good partnership. I played with him at Met Police, probably about two years ago, so I already knew him, and we talk throughout the game, but we know exactly what each other is going to do. Offensively, me and Luke Stokoe always talk before the game and in training. I’m quite close with him so that also feels like we’ve got a sixth sense, he makes the runs I want him to make and I hope I make the runs he wants me to make.
You mentioned the change in mindset, and the manager is so big on improving the culture around the club. What changes has he made that you think have contributed to the improved form?
That was his biggest message when he first came in, he wants to make it a winning culture. To make it a culture where you come to training happy and wanting to win. He’s definitely changed that with the signings he’s made and he’s big on accountability, he drives that home to us, and I feel like that’s huge in football, not many players are accountable for their mistakes, but we have to be – otherwise we’ll be out the door.
Even the management team are the same, it's not just the players, everyone’s accountable. They sometimes have to suck it up and say, “Yeah I was wrong”. So, yeah, everyone!
Obviously, it’s been a massive change, but we’re still in a relegation battle. What do you as players need to focus on now to beat the drop?
I think, like Justin says, it's all about the culture. Keep trying to improve that and keep that fresh in everyone’s mind, don’t get comfortable with the recent form, stay hungry and just want to win, then it’s easy – you don’t even have to look at the table.
Finally, is there anything you want the fans to know?
Just that I love their support. I love going up to them at the end of the game and seeing how happy they are, their unconditional support is brilliant for us as players.
Yeah, to be honest, it did. I felt during the weeks before then that we were growing and performances were getting better, we were getting a bit more confident, it was just a matter of time before we got that first win.
That was Justin’s first game as manager. Looking back on it now and seeing how the form has improved since then, do you see that day as the turning point?
I think that was definitely the turning point. Most of all for the mindset, to be honest, just wanting to go and attack teams, being a bit more on the front foot and exciting. Especially in that game, we were so much more exciting than we had been before, getting it wide, getting it in the box, keeping the ball but being positive with it. That was definitely a turning point, and the results after that showed as well.
In your position, you have to be so in tune with the other players at both ends of the pitch, is there anyone you’ve got that sixth sense with yet?
To be fair, there’s a couple. Defensively, me and Simba [Kudyiwa] have a really good partnership. I played with him at Met Police, probably about two years ago, so I already knew him, and we talk throughout the game, but we know exactly what each other is going to do. Offensively, me and Luke Stokoe always talk before the game and in training. I’m quite close with him so that also feels like we’ve got a sixth sense, he makes the runs I want him to make and I hope I make the runs he wants me to make.
You mentioned the change in mindset, and the manager is so big on improving the culture around the club. What changes has he made that you think have contributed to the improved form?
That was his biggest message when he first came in, he wants to make it a winning culture. To make it a culture where you come to training happy and wanting to win. He’s definitely changed that with the signings he’s made and he’s big on accountability, he drives that home to us, and I feel like that’s huge in football, not many players are accountable for their mistakes, but we have to be – otherwise we’ll be out the door.
Even the management team are the same, it's not just the players, everyone’s accountable. They sometimes have to suck it up and say, “Yeah I was wrong”. So, yeah, everyone!
Obviously, it’s been a massive change, but we’re still in a relegation battle. What do you as players need to focus on now to beat the drop?
I think, like Justin says, it's all about the culture. Keep trying to improve that and keep that fresh in everyone’s mind, don’t get comfortable with the recent form, stay hungry and just want to win, then it’s easy – you don’t even have to look at the table.
Finally, is there anything you want the fans to know?
Just that I love their support. I love going up to them at the end of the game and seeing how happy they are, their unconditional support is brilliant for us as players.