Moving On Up

With Dean Holdsworth swapping Conference side Newport County for League Two Aldershot Town, Nobes looks back at other managers who have made the leap from Non League to Football League.

Dean Holdsworth managed Newport to Conference South glory last season

Good things come to those who wait, so say a famous Irish stout company, anyway. However, it's even better when you don't have to wait. Instead, you can simply grab the first opportunity that comes your way.

That's the scenario Dean Holdsworth faced, when the 42-year-old boss of Conference high-flyers Newport County was approached to fill the vacant post at League Two Aldershot Town after Kevin Dillon's dismissal.

As soon as the Hampshire club came calling, Holdsworth was, appropriately enough, off like a shot. Swapping one phoenix club for another as he looks to establish himself in the 92 club.

He's not the first Non League boss to be in charge of a Football League club without having earned it via promotion though. Here's a look back at some of the others and how they fared or are faring.


Mark Yates

Yates served his apprenticeship in the Conference with Kidderminster Harriers - making steady progress towards the top five over two and a half seasons.

He was given his opportunity in the Football League with former club Cheltenham last term with the Robins struggling towards the foot of League Two.

Steered them to safety and, this term, has the Gloucestershire outfit competing for a place in the play offs.

Verdict: So far, so good.


Mark Cooper

His first job came at Tamworth where, although overseeing their relegation from the Conference, he took the Lambs on a memorable FA Cup run.

Achieved success at Kettering, winning the Conference North title and established them back in the Conference.

The Kettles also enjoyed two fine runs in the FA Cup.

After being linked with various League Two jobs, he was a surprise choice to fill the job at Championship Peterborough.

However, poor results and an ugly style of football saw him last just three months.

Now back in the Conference rebuilding his career with Darlington.

Verdict: Posh were the wrong club for Cooper to take the plunge with. He could still do a job in the lower reaches of the Football League some time.


Martin Allen

With Barnet challenging in the Conference's top five in 2004, Allen got the call from League One strugglers Brentford to help them avoid the drop.

He did just that, and then took them to successive play off finishes, albeit both times the Bees fell short and failed to gain promotion.

His next job came at League Two Milton Keynes, when he again came up short in the play offs.

A short spell at Leicester followed before returning to League One for Cheltenham's battle against the drop in 2008.

This time he failed to win it though and a poor start to last season cost him his job. He's still searching for employment.

Verdict: Downhill since leaving Brentford. His route one style of football aside, at the right club he could do well in the Football League.


Lee Sinnott

Farsley Celtic were in Non League obscurity before Sinnott took them to three promotions in four seasons to help them into the Conference Premier.

In 2007, he was offered a break in the Football League with Port Vale, who were struggling against relegation in League One.

He couldn't prevent Vale from slipping into League Two and he had departed after a few weeks of the next season - less than a year after taking the helm.

Returned to management in the Non Leagues at Northern Premier League side Bradford Park Avenue but was dismissed after failing to challenge for promotion despite a heavy spending spree.

Verdict: Lee Who? Short Football League tenure never likely to be repeated.


Mark Stimson

Stimson was hot property in 2007 after a spectacular start to management.

He had taken Grays Athletic to promotion to the Conference before successive FA Trophy wins and a place in the end of season play offs.

Failing to win promotion with the Essex outfit, he moved to Stevenage where he made it three FA Trophy successes on the bounce.

His penchant for an attractive, attacking based game also won him admirers.

However, when he made the leap up to League One Gillingham he found the going tough. The Gills were relegated - although he led them straight back up again via the play offs 12 months later.

A failure to win a single away win last season saw Gillingham relegated back down again though, and Stimson sacked.

He moved to Barnet over the summer, but left them at the start of the year with the London side rooted in League Two's drop zone.

Verdict: Once a rising star, but two relegations and a torrid time at Barnet have ensured the star has faded. A Non League return surely beckons.


Russell Slade

Gained fame by guiding cash-strapped Scarborough to the FA Cup fourth round where they faced Chelsea.

It earned him a crack in the Football League with Grimsby.

He took the Lincolnshire club to the League Two play off final in 2006, but they ended up on the losing side.

He then moved to League One Yeovil, who he also took to the play off final, only to lose once again.

Departed Huish Park in 2009 and joined Brighton - engineering a miraculous escape from the League One drop.

Was fired last season only to turn up at Leyton Orient, where he remains today after orchestrating another great escape from relegation to League Two last term.

Verdict: Made a niche for himself in the League as a fine fire fighter with an ability to work on a small budget.


Nigel Clough

The son of the legendary Brian spent a decade at the helm of Staffordshire side Burton Albion.

He guided them into the Conference Premier, establishing them as a top five side.

He left them in 2009 top of the table and in pole position to win promotion to the Football League - which they did.

However, he couldn't turn down the advances of Championship side Derby County, where he helped keep the Rams in the division before achieving a mid table finish last term.

With Derby occupying a top half place for the majority of this season, he is making slow progress towards their goal of promotion.

Verdict: Needs to keep progressing or the patience he has been afforded by Derby will begin to run out.

Big Match Review - Derby 1 Reading 2

Derby County 1-2 Reading

Saturday December 18, Pride Park, (Att: 24,514)

Derby suffered a fourth successive loss as Shane Long's goal two minutes from time helped Reading leap above their hosts in the Championship standings.

In an open game, the home side began strongly with only the post denying Alberto Bueno an opening goal.

Then, Royals keeper Adam Federici made his first of a number of fine saves - pushing away Stephen Pearson's shot after a Kris Commons's free kick had deflected kindly into his path.

However, it was the visitors who came closest to going in front with County indebted to Dean Moxey's goal line clearance after they failed to deal with Ian Harte's free kick into the box.

Federici was then called into action once more as he turned away a stinging shot from Luke Moore. It was to prove crucial, as minutes later Brian McDermott's men found themselves in front.

Jobi McAnuff seized upon some sloppy midfield play and, after a marauding run up field, he slipped the ball through for Shane Long.

The Irish striker was tugged back by Shaun Barker and referee Darren Deadman had no hesitation in awarding a penalty.

Long stepped up to convert the spot kick himself and send Reading into the break 1-0 up.

Nigel Clough's side brought influential midfielder Robbie Savage on after the interval as they looked to restore parity, but once again were thwarted by Federici. This time the Australian making a fine save to keep out a Bueno free kick.

Reading responded, with Rams custodian Stephen Bywater doing well to turn a Noel Hunt shot wide for a corner and deny the Royals a second. He was a virtual spectator though when a Long header from another dangerous free kick struck the woodwork.

Off the hook, Derby got back on level terms just after the hour mark. Top scorer Commons with a glancing header at the back post from Paul Green's deep cross.

Neither side were settling for a point and County were once more denied by heroics from Federici as he pulled off a point blank save to prevent Moore from finding the back of the net.

However, with time running out, it was the side from Berkshire who returned home with all three points. McAnuff's driven ball into the box caught out Bywater and Long beat him to the ball to head into an unguarded net.

It ensured Reading ended their seven game winless streak and move up to 7th in the table - just four points off the play offs with a game in hand.

For Nigel Clough and Derby though, a worrying run of results needs to be urgently stemmed if they are to remain in the top six hunt.

Big Match Preview

Derby County vs. Reading

Saturday December 18, 15:00, Pride Park

Two teams with hopes of a top six place in the Championship clash in the East Midlands this weekend as Derby and Reading look to end respective poor runs and return to winning ways.

Despite those runs, the Rams sit just three points off the play offs and their visitors from Berkshire are a further three behind - albeit with a game in hand still to play.

County head into the game off the back of three successive defeats. Last weekend's 2-0 defeat at Bristol City followed 2-1 reverses at home to Norwich and away at Burnley.

Boss Nigel Clough will be confident of a positive result on Saturday though, with his side's tally of 24 goals at Pride Park the division's best home scoring record.

Indeed, the Rams had won six successive home matches seeing off Crystal Palace, Middlesbrough, Preston, Watford, Portsmouth, and Scunthorpe before their loss to Norwich.

The Canaries are one of three teams to have taken maximum spoils back with them from Derbyshire, with Cardiff and Sheffield United also victorious earlier in the campaign.

Pivotal to County's fortunes this term has been experienced midfielder Robbie Savage, who is key in the centre of midfield in dictating the attractive passing game Clough has implemented.

However, it's talented midfielder Kris Commons, with 11 goals already, who has been by far Derby's best source of goals and he will once again be looked upon for inspiration against the Royals.

Derby are making good progress under Nigel Clough this season

For their part, Reading make the trip north hoping to avoid a sixth draw to extend the newly established club record of five.

Brian McDermott's men have played out 0-0 stalemates in recent home matches with Coventry and Leeds, which followed 1-1 draws with Cardiff and Watford and a stunning comeback which ensured a 3-3 draw against Norwich.

It means that the Royals haven't won a match since the end of October, a statistic they will be keen to change as they aim to keep up pace in an increasingly congested group of play off chasers.

Their away form has been a mixed affair, with wins gained at Leicester and via a 4-0 romp at Burnley. However, they have also tasted defeat at Bristol City, Middlesbrough, and QPR.

Finding a reliable goalscorer seems to be at the heart of Reading's inconsistency so far this term. McDermott's side includes four players all with four goals to their name.

That includes defender and set piece specialist Ian Harte, centre half Matt Mills, midfielder Jimmy Kebe, and striker Shane Long. Evidence of a goalscoring threat they offer from all over the pitch.

In such a competitive division, it's incredibly difficult to know how these games are going to go. Both Derby and Reading are not on form and both will know the importance of a win on Saturday.

It's not always the way, but home advantage can sometimes make the difference, and that could be enough to help free-scoring Derby get back to winning ways at Pride Park.

Nobes' Prediction: Derby County 2 Reading 1

Rising In The East

With two of its top teams in the race for promotion to the Premier League and Derby showing signs of progressing, Turls reports on the renaissance occurring in East Midlands football.

Leicester's recent revival has been echoed across the East Midlands

East Midlands football is a subject that is rarely spoken about outside the region.

When Southerners talk about the 'big clubs' in the Football League - a rare conversation admittedly, but it must happen somewhere in London, they can't all be trying to become the next Danny Dyer - they lean towards Ipswich, Norwich and Southampton.

When Northerners have the same conversation - more likely to happen over a pint of Theakston's - they look at Sheffield Wednesday, Leeds, and Newcastle.

No-one seems to even consider the vast area of space in the middle.

The East Midlands is a forgotten region and lumped in with the general moniker of Midlands along with Birmingham, Aston Villa and Stoke City. To be fair, you can't blame them.

For the last few years, the East Midlands has been awash with overwhelming mediocrity and underachievement.

Derby managed to become the worst team in Premier League history. Leicester have gone from top-flight regulars to battling in the Championship - and ultimately falling into League One.

Forest, well, the Reds from Nottingham became the only club to have won the European Cup and dropped into the third tier of their respective division.

The East Midlands has been a dark place in football but the good times look like they could be heading back to Stilton country.

Nottingham Forest have been the tour de force for the region.

They have been up and around the automatic promotion spots for a good few months now and although they are starting to drift away from the top two, they should finish in the play-off spots with relative ease.

Forest are looking for a return to the top flight for the first time since 1998

Billy Davies - officially sponsored by Soccer AM/MW - spent wisely in the summer and has turned the club into a team that plays a variety of football and are a real threat.

They went plenty of games without losing, they haven't lost at home since 1921, and although the wheels have come off away from home, the team is still looking like a strong contender for promotion.

Leicester City have caused even more of a shock than their regional rivals.

Having gained promotion from League One at the first time of asking - they made the league look so easy that I was embarrassed for every other club in the division - Nigel Pearson was expecting the club to have a tough relegation battle on his hands.

A slow start to the season convinced the Foxes faithful that this would be the case but the team has hit its stride and is now in the play-offs.

They have been on a fine run of form recently and should they maintain this, then they will definitely be in the end of season shake-up.

What about Derby County? Well the season began terribly. In fact, the only way it could have been worse was if Robbie Savage was promoted to the manager of the club and Mayor of the city.

Derby are rebuilding under the management of Nigel Clough

Nigel Clough was finding his first full season as a Football League manager tough.

However, the club is steadily progressing under him and the derby day victory over Forest looked to have given the players the boost they needed.

They still find themselves in the bottom half but relegation isn't a real threat anymore and there is already talk off planning for next year.

Clough took a while to turn Burton into a Football League club but he was proof that you need time to succeed.

If the Derby board stick with him, they could be looking onwards and upwards in a few years time - but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

It's a shame that Notts County aren't bankrolled by the Middle East anymore because that would have been another example of growth in the region - although they still fancy their promotion chances.

The fact is that the East Midlands is on the up and could very well see a couple of clubs in the Premier League in the next few years.

Here's hoping that they are in the top-flight at the same time. It's about time the East Midlands got recognised for what it is - a football stronghold steeped in footballing history.

Billy Davies - Saint or Sinner?

Love him or loathe him, it's difficult to escape Billy Davies in the Championship. The outspoken Nottingham Forest boss incensed Sheffield Wednesday fans at the weekend with his side's timewasting tactics and post-match comments branding the Owls a "long ball" team.

So, is the man who was once interviewed by all three of the Soccer AM/MW team, a saint, or really a sinner? Lakes and Turls discuss his merits or lack thereof.

Billy Idol

"Davies made that club overachieve constantly." Turls.

Billy Davies is one of the greatest Championship managers of this era - FACT!

A little over the top I hear you saying.... well pipe down you worthless son of a bitch because you haven't got a clue what you're talking about. I'm going to throw some statistics at you.

Preston - two play-off finishes with a team that should just be languishing in mid-table mediocrity considering their squad. BAM! Derby - took one of the worst teams in the Championship to the glory of the Premier League. BAM! Forest - saved a poor team from relegation. BAM!

While you bandage yourself up after that barrage of statistics, I'm going to let you ponder this. In every full season that Billy has been charge, his team have finished in the play-offs.

Admittedly, he can come across as an obnoxious little scrotum from time to time but can you honestly tell me that Alex Ferguson is a likeable person? Nice guys finish last in football. The only person to ever succeed as a football manager and be considered pleasant is Sir Bobby Robson.

Now I can hear what Lakes is saying, Davies engineered a move away from Preston instead of taking them to the Premier League. Now, no offence, but Preston were never going to be able to reach the top-flight on their current budget, no matter how good he is.

Unless they received heavy investment they were always going to be the nearly club. Davies, and I'd also like to acknowledge that Alan Irvine is doing a great job at Deepdale, made that club overachieve consistently.

Onto the shambles that is Derby County, and I want to say this before I completely dismantle the Pride Park club - I do not hate Derby. Although I am a Forest fan, I have no ill feeling towards the Rams, especially considering they now have the Burton Albion legend Nigel Clough in charge.

Davies won promotion with Derby County in 2007

Billy Davies took a sorry excuse for a football team to the top-flight at the first time of asking. It was a remarkable achievement that would ultimately cost him his job. He was a victim of his own success.

Derby are the worst team in Premier League history. I'm not saying Davies would have done any better, but had Derby kept faith in the man then the Rams would be battling for at least a play-off place these days rather than fighting relegation.

And now we move on to the moment of magic Billy Davies entering the City Ground gates to take them into a new era of success. He came to a club that had been floundering in League One for three years and was now struggling to adapt back to the Championship.

Forest were a club of Premier League status with a League One squad. Now most people will say why is keeping Forest in the Championship an achievement? Well, Forest's team was poor last year and if we had kept Calderwood then we would have probably have been relegated. Safety was achieved and now the revolution begins.

Having spent over £5 million in the summer, some moronic fans expect Forest to win the league this year, or at least make the play-offs. Now this is nonsense, but I am genuinely excited by the future of Nottingham Forest.

Some genius signings like Paul McKenna to bring in the experience and Chris Gunter to bring in the future and some bargains, like £250,000 for Paul Anderson, have made me, for the first time since the days of Paul Hart, quietly confident that we can get back to the Premier League in the next few years.

As much as he is a tosspot nobody can deny that he is a fantastic manager at this level and, if Lakes is honest, he'll wish that Davies never left.

Billy Liar

"Undoubtedly talented, but a deeply flawed genius." Lakes.

Billy Davies is a man I've had some dealings with.

I was bequeathed a can of Fanta by the man in response to helping out on Deepdale's Town End. But months passed and that can of Fanta soon started tasting sour. It eventually left me choking on its decompositional gasses.

It was all a sickly metaphor for Billy Davies's reign as Preston North End's King of Hearts - and how his ambition tainted his crown in the eyes of many PNE fans.

Ask a cross-section of Preston fans who they consider to be a great ex-manager and a small number will say Billy Davies. "His managerial expertise cannot be flawed!", they crow like sick, demented sheep, drunk on the taste of their own noxious urine.

To those people, I ask this: What makes a good manager? Is it the ability to create a side with a good work ethic? Yes. But isn't it also to manage everything else that goes with the job? Shouldn't a manager be capable of forging relationships with the board and the fans? Shouldn't a manager be loyal to the cause, without jumping ship at every opportunity?

Sadly, Billy Davies is not the complete package. His proven inability to accept boardroom decisions is a fatal flaw in his character. His mercenary nature will be his undoing. And worst of all, we've proven he isn't the be all and end all.

Compare Billy Davies to Alan Irvine. Two different managers, but united by a similar aim: to get teams playing consistently well, in harmony with each other and instill a determination to succeed into the dressing room.

Look at how much Alan Irvine has spent. Certainly not the £5 million Nottingham Forest have spent this term.

While Matt will argue that his side needed strengthening, one cannot dismiss that Forest have targetted expensive players who Davies has assumed are going to give him an instant return, rather than building slowly in his usual, successful method.

Alan Irvine has the tact and diplomacy to get him far in the game. He's already shown loyalty, too, by turning down an offer to manage West Brom.

Compare that to Billy Davies, who attended interviews left, right and centre whilst at Preston, and ultimately threw his toys out of the pram once we rightly blocked a move for him to have an interview regarding a drop down to League One.

He made a laughing stock of Preston by treating a drop down as a step up. Not what you want a manager to do.

Then there was the Derby saga. Using an offer from a rival club, Davies gained leverage - allegedly for a larger paycheck at Preston. Having secured a new contract at Preston, he went on to leave the following year to Derby after a number of boardroom bust-ups.

So, as far as I can see, Billy Davies is a sinner. Undoubtedly talented, but a deeply flawed genius whose inability to see the bigger picture must have undoubtedly hampered the perception of him within the game.


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