Ok so here's our first bit of press in the local papers, this article featured in the Oldham Chronicle on 10th June 2008.

Sky’s the limit for candid Dave

 
FORMER Athletic defender David Beharall is making his mark in our area once again thanks to his latest venture.

 
Forced into hanging up his boots two years ago because of a knee injury, Beharall now has business premises in Chadderton after setting up his own company. CandidSky.com is an on-line solutions and web development company headed by Beharall and business partner Tom Lambert. “All through my career I knew that one day I wanted to set up my own business,” said Beharall.

“We’ve been going two years now. The first 12 months was all about finding our feet, but the last eight months have been great. Things have really taken off. “We offer a wide range of things, all based around the internet. Anything that’s out there at the minute we are on the ball with.” The development of CandidSky.com is something that Beharall had thought long and hard about during his playing days.

“I’ve always been very good on computers and with technical stuff. And with the way the world is going in terms of the internet and broadband, I felt it was a good environment to get into.

“The costs are low, with no real overheads, so it was a no brainer for me and the main thing is I really enjoy it.”

Beharall was signed by former manager Mick Wadsworth in March 2002 from Newcastle United for a fee of £150,000 and went onto make 63 appearances for the club. “I’d worked with Mick when he was assistant manager to Bobby Robson at Newcastle and he kept an eye on me when I was playing on loan at Grimsby.

“It was a time when Grimsby were doing well – we’d beaten Liverpool in the cup and were at the top of League One.”

Following the departure of Wadsworth, Iain Dowie took charge and Beharall believes the period under Dowie was a special time at Boundary Park. “He was probably the biggest influence on my career and a lot of players at the club at that time would say the same. Along with John Harbin, he instilled a positive mentality and a togetherness that I hadn’t previously experienced in football.

“There was more structure to everything and I learned how to look at things in a different way. ”He looks back on his time at Oldham with great affection – and he’s not the only one. He said: “I was talking to Fitz Hall recently and, even at the level he has achieved, he says that the best group of lads he has ever worked with were those at Oldham under Dowie. “We had big games, beating West Ham and Derby in the cup and just missing out in the play-offs, but it’s the team spirit that I’ll never forget.

“All the lads were hugely dedicated and worked hard for each other. We were all good mates and I’d never known a dressing room like that before. ”From Oldham his career took Beharall to Carlisle under manager Paul Simpson and his first season with the Cumbrians ended in Conference play-off final glory. “Winning the final at Stoke was one of the highlights of my career. Getting Carlisle back into the Football League meant so much to the club and the fans.” From Carlisle he then signed for Stockport in 2006 before being forced into early retirement due to a knee injury.

“I had various operations on my knees but the specialist told me that if I kept playing I would have lots of problems in later life. “I couldn’t train every day so sooner or later I would have fallen out of favour and I didn’t want to put myself in that position. “I thought if I used my money wisely and set up my own business that was something I could control. I couldn’t control my knees.”

It was his connections from his time at Oldham that actually helped get his business off the ground. “Martin Thomas from Vehicle Consulting, a huge Latics fan and friend, owns the premises and had office space available so that helped me make a start. “I actually bought my car off him when I was at Oldham and he has been a great help to me with the business.”

Beharall now lives in Saddleworth with fiancee Samantha and they plan to marry next May. “As much as I love Newcastle, I now consider Oldham to be my home. It’s where I want to stay.” The new life and career are going well, but Beharall still has a desire to return to football one day.“I want to get my coaching badges and would love to manage a local team at Unibond or Conference level.

“Hopefully in a few years I’ll be able to hand over CandidSky.com and let someone else manage it, giving me the opportunity to pursue my ambitions in football.”