From The Ground Up

With Chesterfield set to crown their debut season in the b2net Stadium as League Two champions, Nobes looks at how other clubs did after they move grounds.

John Sheridan' Chesterfield are on course to win the League Two title this season

So serene has Chesterfield's unflagging quest for the League Two title been that it's easy to forget the Derbyshire side and focus instead on the more competitive areas of the basement division.

It's a sign of just how imperious John Sheridan's men have been in a campaign that will surely see them crowned as worthy League Two winners and end their four year spell in the basement division.

Even more impressively, it has been done despite leaving their home of years in Saltergate and having to adjust to the new surroundings of the b2net Stadium.

However, as I reported earlier in the campaign, the move seems to have been the catalyst behind Chesterfield's renaissance for a dream debut season.

Not every club has welcomed a new ground in such a positive manner though. Here's my look on how it worked out for some of the others.


Oxford United 2001/2

The Oxen were relegated to League Two in their last season at the Manor Ground and hopes were high that they'd bounce back at the first attempt.

However, life in their new three-sided Kassam Stadium was difficult - losing their first two games in a campaign where they struggled towards the bottom and changed managers.

United ended the season in 21st - winning as many matches at home as they lost.


Leicester City - 2002/3

Having waved goodbye to Filbert Street by crashing out of the top flight, the financially troubled Foxes moved into the Walkers Stadium hoping for a change in fortunes.

And they got it. With a little help from a very generous CVA arrangement, City bounced back to the Premier League at the first time of asking as runners-up to Portsmouth.

Leicester won 16 games and lost just twice on their own patch as it served as the foundation for an impressive promotion under Micky Adams.

Leicester won promotion in their first season at the Walkers Stadium

Hull City - 2003

Hull made the unusual step of switching from their Boothferry Park home to the KC Stadium midway through an underwhelming 2002/3 season.

However, having got to grips with their new surroundings in the second half of their mid-table campaign, the Tigers made amends in 2003/4.

They finished as runners-up to Doncaster to gain promotion to League One with a record of 16 wins and three defeats at their new home.


Coventry City - 2005/6

The Sky Blues signed off from their Highfield Road ground with a 6-2 win and began life in the Ricoh Arena with a 3-0 victory.

However, while their final year at their old ground saw them flirt with the drop, their inaugural campaign at the Ricoh saw them post their best finish to date during ten years in the Championship.

Micky Adams's side won 12 and lost just four of their home matches that season and ended up in 8th.


Swansea City - 2005/6

Ending their final campaign at the Vetch Field by winning promotion to League One, the Swans set about welcoming in their new Liberty Stadium in the same fashion.

Kenny Jackett's men were amongst the front runners all season, albeit a late dip in form saw them having to settle for a place in the play offs.

No third tier side scored more goals at home that year than the Welsh club, who won 11 and lost just three on their own patch. They went on to be defeated on penalties by Barnsley in the play off final.

It was nearly a second successive promotion for the Swans at their new home

Doncaster Rovers - 2007

Like Hull, Rovers decided to opt for the mid-season switch as they changed grounds from the antiquated Belle Vue to the more modern and plush Keepmoat Stadium.

They ended the 2006/7 season in mid table before winning promotion to the second tier for the first time in half a century 12 months later.

Donny won 14 and lost five in their first full campaign at the Keepmoat, eventually succeeding through the play offs with a Wembley win against Leeds.


Milton Keynes Dons - 2007/8

The forerunners of Chesterfield. The Dons finally vacated the National Hockey Stadium and moved into their own home in 2007.

The new stadium:mk was given a rude awakening when Bury rolled into town and beat the Dons in its first match. Indeed, four other sides won there that year.

However, Paul Ince's men did win 11 on their own patch, and their formidable away record helped propel them to a double of the League Two title and Football League Trophy.


Shrewsbury Town 2007/8

Salop had gone out with a bang at their Gay Meadow home, reaching the play off final at Wembley - where they had lost to Bristol Rovers.

They were confident of building upon that when making the move to the New Meadow, and even opened up their new ground with four successive victories.

However, that bright start soon evaporated and they finished the campaign in a hugely disappointing 18th with nine wins and eight defeats in their new home.

Shrewsbury didn't do as well as expected when moving to the New Meadow

Colchester United - 2008/9

Having punched above their weight in the Championship for two seasons at Layer Road, the Essex outfit began life in their new stadium in League One.

However, a poor start to the season saw it take them seven matches to record a victory at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

That sluggish opening saw them end the campaign in mid table, with just seven wins and 12 defeats in their new surroundings.


Cardiff City - 2009/10

A disastrous end to the previous season had seen the Bluebirds depart from Ninian Park with a 3-0 loss and agonisingly missing out on the end of season play offs.

They bounced back in fine style though, winning their first two games at their new stadium 4-0 and 3-0.

It was to remain a fortress for them, with 12 wins and five losses in a season which took them to Wembley and a Championship play off final defeat against Blackpool.


Morecambe - 2010/11

Like Chesterfield, the Shrimps also began this season in new surroundings. However, they have found life a lot harder than their League Two rivals.

Finishing 4th in their last season at Christie Park and qualifying for the play offs, they had hoped to continue from where they left off at their new Globe Arena.

To date though they've won six and lost eight at the new stadium and are languishing in 15th. A far cry from last season's home form of 14 wins and three defeats.

Hero Takes A Fall

With Northampton Town parting ways with playing legend Ian Sampson as their manager, Nobes looks at how it worked out for others who made a similar transition at their club.

Club legend Ian Sampson had been in charge at Sixfields for just 16 months

"It's not about Sammo the legend," remarked Northampton chairman David Cardoza when explaining the difficulty of the decision to remove boss Ian Sampson from his position last week.

The Cobblers have experienced a disappointing campaign in League Two. Although expected to challenge for the top seven, new boss Gary Johnson finds his side lying well off the pace in 16th, a full 12 points off the play offs.

Sampson spent a decade serving Town as a player, making the second most appearances in a claret shirt. He then joined the club's coaching staff before replacing Stuart Gray in the top job in September 2010.

He oversaw an encouraging second half of the campaign, eventually steering Northampton to 11th, but has been unable to build on that momentum this term.

Despite a memorable League Cup victory on penalties over Liverpool, it's the bread and butter which has let Town down. Events at Anfield couldn't disguise underachievement at Sixfields.

Not that Sampson is the first, and he won't be the last, to have a go managing the club he represented with distinction as a player. Here's my look at how it turned out for a few others:


Roberto Martinez (Swansea City)

The Spaniard only spent four seasons as a player in South Wales, but became a fans' favourite for his cultured displays in midfield as captain of the Swans.

He helped guide them away from relegation to the Conference in 2003 before playing an important role in their promotion to League One in 2005.

He was controversially released by boss Kenny Jackett at the end of the next season - a move which upset many City fans.

Less than a year later he had returned to the Liberty to replace Jackett as manager and took them to the League One title in his first full season playing a brand of attractive passing football.

Consolidated them in the Championship before leaving for Wigan - arguably laying the foundations for Swansea's current push for the Premier League.


Bryan Gunn (Norwich City)

A Scot by birth, Gunn is an adopted son of Norfolk after spending more than a decade between the sticks as Norwich keeper.

He was twice voted player of the season during his time at Carrow Road, and was part of the side which, in 1993, finish 3rd in the Premier League - the club's highest ever finish.

A member of the Norwich team who upset Bayern Munich in the UEFA Cup during the '90s as well as the Canaries' Hall of Fame. There's even a club at the ground named after him.

Initially was a goalkeeping coach at City before stepping up to replace Glenn Roeder as boss in January 2009. However, he was unable to stop Norwich sliding into League One at the end of the season.

He retained his post only to be removed after the first game of the new season, a 7-1 thrashing at home to Colchester.


Eddie Howe (Bournemouth)

Howe joined his local club as a youngster and spent the majority of his playing career with Bournemouth before leaving for Portsmouth in 2002.

However, he suffered an injury-hit time at Fratton Park and eventually re-joined the Cherries, initially on loan, before fans helped raise money to re-sign him permanently.

He progressed to the role of reserve team boss before taking over as caretaker manager from Jimmy Quinn with the club staring relegation to the Conference in the face.

The Football League's youngest boss engineered a great escape, despite an 18-point deduction. Then, last term, not even a transfer embargo could prevent him leading the Cherries to promotion to the third tier.

Before leaving to take over at Championship Burnley in January, Howe had taken Bournemouth into contention for back-to-back promotions.


John Askey (Macclesfield Town)

When Askey first joined the Silkmen, they were plying their trade in to the Northern Premier League. However, he helped them win the title in 1987 and gain promotion to the Conference.

During his time at the Moss Rose as a player, Macc twice won the Conference title and also secured the FA Trophy before finally reaching the Football League in 1997.

Twelve months later, Askey had again played a major role in Sammy McIlroy's side's elevation to League One as they secured successive promotions.

By the time of his final game for the club in 2003 he was assistant to boss David Moss, and stepped up to replace Moss a few months later - overseeing an improvement in results for the struggling Silkmen.

As they began to struggle again though he stepped down to assist the experienced Brian Horton as Macclesfield avoided the drop and then qualified for the play offs in 2005. Now in charge of the Town Youth Team.


Steve Tilson (Southend United)

As a player with Southend in the '90s, Tilson was part of the Shrimpers side who secured back-to-back promotions into the Championship.

After retiring as a player he joined the club's Centre of Excellence before being named caretaker manager of the first team in 2003 after the departure of Steve Wignall.

Tilson helped keep United in League Two and guided them to consecutive Football League Trophy finals, although they ended up on the losing side on both occasions.

However, in his first full season he took Southend to promotion via the play offs and a year later they had repeated his feat as a player - winning back-to-back promotions as League One winners.

He couldn't keep them in the Championship though, and eventually left the club after financial problems condemned them to relegation to League Two last season. Now at Lincoln.


Stuart McCall (Bradford City)

The Yorkshireman began his career at Bradford and during his first spell at the club was part of their third tier title winning side in 1985.

He returned to the Bantams in 1998 and captained them as they secured a place in the top flight of English football for the first time in 77 years.

They stayed there for a couple of years and, after retiring and spending time assisting Neil Warnock at Sheffield United, McCall returned to Valley Parade for a third time in 2007.

On this occasion it was as manager, with the club newly relegated to the basement division. Despite lofty expectations, he failed to guide them to the play offs in his first two seasons.

Persuaded to stay on by supporters, he eventually resigned midway through his third campaign - again with the Bantams struggling to make the top seven. Now managing at Motherwell.


Jim Gannon (Stockport County)

As player with Stockport, Gannon spent a decade helping the Hatters to two Football League Trophy finals as well as a couple of promotions.

Hugely popular with the Edgeley Park faithful, after retirement and a move into management in Ireland, the club turned to him to aid their battle against relegation to the Conference in 2005.

He helped them escape the drop on the final day of the season and then transformed them into a young side playing good football which, two years later, won promotion via the play offs.

However, County's financial turmoil saw him unable to take the club much further, and they only narrowly avoided the drop back to the basement division.

He was made redundant by cost-cutting County at the conclusion of the 2008/9 season. Now at Port Vale, but is constantly linked with a return to the Stockport job.


Mick Harford (Luton Town)

Often voted the best ever player for the Bedfordshire club, Harford spent six years with Luton during the 1980s.

During his time with the Hatters, he helped Ray Harford's men win the 1988 League Cup and preserve their top flight status. He also appeared for the England senior side.

He spent a short spell at Derby before returning to Kenilworth Road again, almost scoring the goals to keep Town amongst the country's elite. However, he left after relegation.

Harford was assistant to Joe Kinnear in 2001, helping Luton win promotion from League Two before leaving a couple of years later. He returned as manager himself in 2008, with the cash-strapped Hatters facing relegation back to the basement division.

Docked 30 points, he was at the helm as Luton crashed into the Conference in 2009, but did secure them the Football League Trophy. He left the club early on last term after a poor start to the campaign.


Ronnie Moore (Rotherham United)

Now in his second spell as manager of the Millers, Moore has a long and successful connection with the South Yorkshire club.

He first went to the club as a player in the '80s. His goalscoring exploits over three years made him a terrace favourite and saw him recently voted United's greatest ever player.

In 1997, he returned to Millmoor as manager and guided the club to successive promotions to the Championship where, despite a comparatively small budget, he kept them for four seasons.

Eventually, with relegation looking likely, he departed in 2005. However, he returned to Rotherham last season to replace Mark Robins.

Moore took the Millers to the play off final where they were beaten by Dagenham. They are once again in contention for promotion from League Two this term.


Brian Tinnion (Bristol City)

Despite being a man of the North East, 450 appearances over 12 years as a player at Ashton Gate means Bristol is the city most associated with Tinnion.

He was part of the Robins side who fluctuated between the second and third tiers during the '90s - winning promotion in 1998 but suffering relegation in 1995 and 1999.

Working with the club's youth system, Tinnion was already being groomed for the top job before becoming a player coach under Danny Wilson as City once again fought for promotion from League One.

He replaced Wilson as manager after successive play off failures, but in his first year at the helm Tinnion was unable to even guide the Robins into the top six.

A poor start to the next season saw him resign from his post following a 7-1 thrashing at Swansea left City in the relegation zone.

The Boyos Are Back In Town

Turls looks at the renaissance in Welsh football taking place not just in the Championship but also in the Conference Premier.

Wrexham are in Conference play off contention under Dean Saunders

In a land dominated by Tom Jones, rugby, leeks, and Katherine Jenkins' knockers, it's difficult for anything else to get a look in.

The Welsh national football team is rubbish, and is currently ranked as the 113th best team in the world football - behind Central African Republic and Qatar, and just ahead of Suriname. In fact, according to FIFA, Wales are the eighth worst team in Europe.

The Welsh Premier League is even worse, and probably on a par with the sixth or seventh tier of English football. I don't think most people could name many clubs who play in the WPL other than PMS and Airtours FC.

Welsh football has been seen as a bit of a shambles for quite some time, but there are a few clubs who are trying to rescue the state of football in Cymru.

The funny thing is that, while two teams are scrapping it out to leave the Football League, two others are doing their best to get into it.

Swansea City and Cardiff City are both having great seasons so far, with both teams looking likely to be in the Championship promotion shake up come the end of the season. But we all know about these two teams.

Everyone knows about what's going on in Wales' two biggest cities and I'll have a little natter about them later. What about the other two clubs?

No, I'm not referring to Merthyr Town and Colwyn Bay, I am of course talking about Wrexham and Newport County.

Both teams are in the hunt for promotion out of the Conference Premier, but each team have taken different journeys to get where they are today. One came up, and the other came down.

Wrexham are looking to get back into the Football League at the third time of asking. Their 87-year stay in the Football League was ended in the 2007/8 season, but the writing had been on the wall for them for a few seasons.

Since being relegated, Wrexham haven't really looked like rejoining the 92 club and many people, including our very own Nobes, thought that, under Dean Saunders, the North Wales club would be very lucky to find themselves in a promotion battle.

Not many thought he had the experience required to guide them out of the Non League pyramid. At the moment, Nobes is wrong.

We may only be half way through the season, but T-Wrex are sitting in the play off positions and look like they may have the strength to last the distance.

It's being achieved on the back of a mean defence. Saunders' men have only conceded 23 goals and have one of the tightest backlines in the division.

They may not score as many goals as some of the other teams in the promotion hunt, but Saunders has turned the Racecourse Ground into a fortress - with the Red Dragons losing just one of their 13 games at home.

Newport County stormed to Conference South title success last term

Over at Newport County, their success was founded by the work of another inexperienced manager.

Unlike Wrexham though, the Exiles will be forced to continue their hunt for promotion without the man who helped them cruise to the Conference South title last season.

Dean Holdsworth left for Aldershot not too long ago, and many feel that he has taken County's hopes of promotion with him. Everything he touches turns to gold at the moment, with the Shots in fine form since he took over.

Who gives a monkey's what's happening at Aldershot though, because County have been left in the lurch. Holdsworth took the Exiles to the Conference South title in style - winning the league with two months of the season to spare and averaging more than two goals per game.

It was ridiculously easy, and they carried their momentum into the Conference Premier - losing only one of their first 11 matches.

However, upon Holdsworth's departure, a few fans are starting to panic and I honestly heard one fan discussing the distinct possibility of relegation. That may be a little extreme, but you can understand the fear factor surrounding the club under new circumstances.

Many cite Holdsworth as the sole reason for the club's new found success, while others have claimed it is nonsense to suggest man is responsible for the a whole team's success.

They probably won't get promoted, and I wouldn't be surprised if they started to drift down towards the middle of the table, but Holdsworth leaves behind a strong team with a determined work ethic.

If they can keep the core of the squad together, which is always a problem when losing a manager, they have the ability to maintain a steady presence in the Conference Premier.

Welsh football is clearly on the up. Cardiff and Swansea are looking to get promoted out of the Football League, while Newport are Wrexham hope to gain entry.

Still, until Jenkins dumps that Blue Peter chap, I refuse to accept Wales into my heart.

Big Match Review - Swansea 3 Crystal Palace 0

Swansea City 3-0 Crystal Palace

Saturday February 15, Liberty Stadium, (Att: 13,369)

Two second half penalties from Scott Sinclair eased promotion-chasing Swansea City to a comfortable victory over struggling Crystal Palace.

The away side, in their first game under new full-time boss Dougie Freedman, defended resolutely in the first half as they sought to improve upon a dire away record this season.

However, with half time approaching, their resistance was broken when Darren Pratley had the time and space to side foot home Scott Sinclair's low driven cross.

The game was pretty much sewn up as a contest with two Sinclair spot kicks either side of the hour mark.

Firstly, he sent Julian Speroni the wrong way after Nathan Dyer's jinking run was illegally halted by David Wright's challenge.

Then, he converted again from 12 yards after a header from a corner seemed to be blocked by the risen arm of Steffen Iversen.

A crushing win for Brendan Rodgers's men takes them up to second, but Palace remain in the bottom three - and happy to return to home comforts.

Big Match Preview

Swansea City vs. Crystal Palace

Saturday February 15, 12:45, Liberty Stadium

Fourth top meet third bottom in South Wales on Saturday lunchtime as high-flying Swansea City entertain a Crystal Palace side battling for their very Championship existence in the relegation zone.

The Swans are enjoying a fine campaign as they seek to return to England's top flight for the first time in 28 years. Palace, on the other hand, will be glad to see the back of a miserable 2010 where they have been battling for survival both on and off the pitch.

The visitors go into the match under the permanent charge of Dougie Freedman for the first time. The former Palace player made over 300 appearances as a striker and has now been handed the task of keeping the Eagles up.

It had seemed as though Bournemouth's Eddie Howe was destined for the hot seat, but he opted to stay on the South Coast rather than move to South London - giving Freedman his chance.

He took charge of their 1-0 win over relegation rivals Preston following the sacking of George Burley, and Palace's 2-1 loss at Coventry last weekend in the FA Cup.

One of the Scot's primary aims will be turn around his side's away form - comfortably the worst in the Championship.

Palace have recorded just one away win, at Norwich, so far, and have gained draws at Bristol City and Cardiff. However, ten of their 13 trips have ended in defeat, conceding 31 goals along the way.

Top scorer for the Eagles this term is wide man Neil Danns, with six, although creative midfielder Darren Ambrose is always an integral man going forwards, particularly with his set piece delivery.

Brendan Rodgers has Swansea competing for a Premier League place

They travel to a Swansea team who boast one of the Championship's most formidable home records. Indeed, City have conceded just five goals in 13 games at the Liberty this term, the tightest home defensive record in the division.

Eight of those 13 games have ended in victory, with Reading, Barnsley, Middlesbrough, Preston, Leicester, Burnley, Coventry, and Scunthorpe all being seen off.

However, they have seen both Portsmouth and Bristol City leave with maximum spoils, so will be wary of Palace - despite a convincing 3-0 at Selhurst Park when the two teams met earlier in the campaign.

Boss Brendan Rodgers, who succeeded Paulo Sousa during the summer, has kept faith with the long-ingrained style of attractive, passing football that has seen the Welsh club knocking on the door of the Championship's top six in the last couple of years.

He has also helped cure the chronic shortage of goals which put paid to their play-off hopes last term, with summer signing Scott Sinclair bagging 14 goals in all competitions. Midfielder Darren Pratley, recently linked with top flight clubs, has been another key figure with six strikes to his name.

However, Rodgers was dealt a blow when captain and defender Gary Monk was ruled out for three months with a knee injury after last weekend's 4-0 FA Cup win against Colchester.

It's also risky to be too confident of how a game will go in the Championship. It's a famously tight division where anyone can beat anyone else on their day.

Swansea have been in such fine form at home though, and looked so difficult to score against, that they should have enough to see off struggling Palace and maintain their promotion push.

Nobes' Prediction: Swansea City 2 Crystal Palace 0

Return Of The Mick

With Mick Wadsworth confirmed as Hartlepool boss until the end of the season, Nobes looks at other managers who've made a return to the game after a long absence.

Mick Wadsworth was last in charge of a League club back in 2003

The longer you're gone, the harder it is to return. So goes the theory when it comes to football management.

Stay on the sidelines rather than the touchline, and you'll soon disappear altogether - doomed to some kind of coaching or scouting role or, even worse, a TV pundit.

However, seven years after leaving his last League manager's job at Huddersfield - albeit he had a brief spell in charge at Non League Chester - Mick Wadsworth is back in management at Hartlepool.

After a successful spell as caretaker following the resignation of Chris Turner, the 60-year-old has been handed the reins until the end of the season with the, long-overdue realistic, brief of keeping Pools in League One.

It's an unexpected opportunity for the Yorkshireman, who has never managed to follow up initial success at Carlisle in the '90s at the likes of Colchester, Oldham, and Scarborough.

However, he's not the only manager to make a return after time away. Here's my top-10 rundown of some of football's returnees - and how successful they were on their comeback.


10. Nigel Spackman

Spackman was fired from his job at Barnsley in 2001 with the Reds struggling towards the foot of the Championship.

He spent the next five years working as a TV pundit but, in 2006, was the surprise choice as new boss at Millwall.

The Lions had been relegated to League One and Spackman rebuilt the squad during the summer.

A slow start saw the 49-year-old sacked with the Londoners near the foot of the table.

Verdict: A long time out of the game was followed by a brief and hugely unsuccessful return to the dugout. Best to stick to the TV studio in the future.


9. Gary Peters

The Londoner led the renaissance of Preston North End when the Lancashire club had been toiling in the basement division.

However, he was exiled from management for five years after leaving Deepdale in 1998.

On his return he walked into the mess at Exeter City - fighting for survival in the Football League.

Despite an almost miraculous end of season run, he was unable to save the Grecians from the drop and departed weeks later.

Verdict: Did extremely well to almost save Exeter and then went on to guide Shrewsbury to within 90 minutes of League One in 2007 before being harshly sacked soon after. A proven lower league manager.


8. Bryan Hamilton

After ending a second spell in charge at Wigan in 1993, Hamilton took over as national team manager of Northern Ireland.

He spent four years in that role and was out of the game for another couple until gaining a surprise return at Norwich in 2000.

The Canaries were struggling in the Championship and Hamilton steadied the ship. However, before the end of the year he had resigned his position.

Verdict: Instantly forgettable return to club management following an undistinguished spell in the international game. Management days are well behind now, which is why he's working in the media.


7. Gary Johnson

Johnson earned his reputation leading Yeovil from the Conference to League One at the start of the last decade.

However, he had first sampled League management at Cambridge United before departing in 1995.

After a brief spell at Kettering he then moved abroad - taking charge of the Latvian national team and laying the foundations that saw them qualify for Euro 2004.

He returned to England at Yeovil in 2001, winning promotion with them in 2003 - and managing in the League again a full eight years after his last crack.

Verdict: The time away worked. He thrived on his return and after leaving Yeovil he subsequently guided Bristol City to promotion from League One and the Championship play off final. Now at Peterborough.


6. Kenny Jackett

First as a player and then later a coach, Jackett served under Graham Taylor at Watford before assuming the top job in 1996.

However, a poor League One campaign saw him relegated back to Taylor's assistant and he later had a spell as Ian Holloway's right hand man at QPR.

He returned to try his hand as the main man at Swansea in 2004 - and took the Welsh club to promotion in his first full season.

Twelve months later, he secured the Johnstone's Paint Trophy and only a penalty shoot out in the League One play off final prevented the Swans from making it successive promotions.

Verdict: Watching Millwall, it's not hard to see the influence of Taylor and Holloway on Jackett's style. However, he has proved successful in guiding both the Lions and Swansea to promotion as a manager. Deserves respect.


5. Brian Talbot

Talbot began the 1991/2 campaign as Aldershot boss - he was gone after a few months, and the club were as well not long after.

After time overseas in Malta he returned home to join the coaching staff at ambitious Rushden & Diamonds - eventually becoming manager in 1999.

Maybe it was those eight years away, or maybe it was the ridiculous money being spent, but he led Diamonds into the Football League in 2001 and two years later they were in the third tier.

Verdict: It was the money. Talbot's subsequent struggles at Oldham and Oxford were more illustrative of his managerial capabilities. In truth, he landed on his feet gaining the Rushden job when he did.


4. Nigel Pearson

Along with the help of one Jimmy Glass, Pearson helped rescue Carlisle from relegation to the Conference in 1999.

However, he didn't stay on at Brunton Park and instead spent the next nine years on the coaching staff at the likes of Stoke, West Brom, and Newcastle.

Once his next managerial role came along though - he once again found himself in a relegation scrap.

However, a final day escape act at Southampton in 2008 proved he hadn't lost his skills in brinkmanship.

Verdict: Left Saints that summer and then took Leicester to League One glory followed by the Championship play offs last season. Now at Hull, he seems to have benefited from learning his trade as an assistant.


3. John Barnes

Okay, I'll hold my hands up, Tranmere's appointment of Barnes last summer was not technically a Football League management return.

However, any chance to recount that hilarious decision - as well his legendary Soccer AM/MW status - must be taken.

Barnes was, of course, installed as part of a dream managerial ticket alongside Kenny Dalglish at Glasgow Celtic in 1999.

It turned into more of a nightmare, albeit a short-lived one. Much like his time at Prenton Park nine years later.

Verdict: First place in the 2008 Caribbean Championships as Jamaica coach will, you feel, always be the pinnacle of Barnes's managerial career. Tranmere's gamble was always doomed to fail - they were lucky it didn't cost them their League One spot.


2. Paul Hart

The proverbial London Bus boss, at one point Hart had to wait a full decade between managerial jobs but then got through three just last season.

Hart was fired from basement division Chesterfield in 1991 and reverted to youth team football at Leeds and then Nottingham Forest.

He got his chance at the top job at the City Ground in 2001 after the departure of David Platt and, after a slow start, guided Forest to the Championship play offs in 2003.

There, they lost to Sheffield United, and a dreadful sequence of results that left them fighting relegation the next season saw him dismissed.

Verdict: After Forest came Barnsley, then Rushden, then Portsmouth, QPR, and finally Crystal Palace. Hart has the dubious honour of being sacked from a club in each of the top five tiers. Best to stick to bringing through the youngsters.


1. Richard Money

When Richard Money left his job as Scunthorpe boss in 1994 he still had a full head of hair.

In-between then and his return to English football in 2006 at Walsall it had mostly gone.

Those 12 years away saw him work at Aston Villa and Coventry before moving abroad to Sweden and then Australia.

His appointment at the Saddlers was out of the blue - but, thanks to a resolute defence, he led the Black Country outfit to the League Two title in his first season.

Verdict: A stunning return to League management. More than a decade away, but Money instantly turned around Walsall's fortunes. Now at the helm of Conference side Luton, where he is once again plotting a promotion push.

Don't Ever Change

Ahead of this weekend's South Wales derby, Nobes reflects on why continuity is key to the success of Championship high-fliers Cardiff City and Swansea City.

Old and New: Cardiff and Swansea's managers are key to their success

Two teams flying high in the Championship playing attractive, attacking football and scoring plenty of goals.

Throw in the spice of a local derby between two bitter rivals, and it's not hard to understand why the BBC cameras will be in Cardiff this weekend for live coverage of Swansea's visit.

However, it's not just the purists who would be well advised to tune in on Sunday lunchtime, but other clubs aspiring to be just as successful.

That's because this Welsh derby should not just be viewed as a feast of football, but a celebration of how continuity is the key to success. In different ways, the Bluebirds and Swans are reaping the benefits of having firm foundations.

For Cardiff, currently two points clear at the summit, boss Dave Jones is now in his sixth season in the Welsh capital.

Since 2005, he's twice taken City to Wembley for national finals. They finished runners-up to Portsmouth in the 2008 FA Cup and then, last term, were edged out 3-2 by Blackpool in the play off final.

It is testament to the former Wolves manager's experience that, instead of allowing the heartbreak of last term to negatively affect the club, he has instead used it to spur them to go one better this time.

It was the same motivational tool he used to great effect 12 months previously when, having missed out on a place in the top six only on the final day of the 2008/9 campaign, Cardiff came back stronger.

Critics will, quite rightly, point to the fact that Cardiff are a club who regularly appear to be living beyond their means.

Indeed, it seems like they've made more appearances in the High Court than the new 25,000 stadium they moved into last year.

The rights and wrongs of a club so frequently on the financial edge signing the likes of Craig Bellamy and Andy Keogh on loan are much debated.

It would be fair to say that, for Championship rivals, it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth as they question how an almost perennially troubled club can afford to sign Bellamy and turn down offers for other stars like winger Peter Whittingham?

Ultimately, Cardiff's chickens may well come home to roost in the future if their financial footing is proven to be far less secure than City fans hope.

However, for now the firepower of their loan signings - allied to the attacking talents of Whittingham, Jay Bothroyd, Michael Chopra, and Chris Burke - provides Jones with striking power the envy of the rest of the league.

Bothroyd in particular, after a frustrating and often ill-disciplined start to his career, is now flourishing with 12 goals already this season.

His injury and subsequent substitution in last May's play off final was undoubtedly a massive blow to City's chances on the day.

If he can remain fully fit - and not serving a suspension as he will be on Sunday - his goals can fire the Bluebirds into the top flight for the first time in over half a century.

However, perhaps even more key will be, for all the off-field worries, the stability from the dugout provided by the manager.

Cardiff's strength this term is not the result of a quick turnaround as with promotion rivals QPR. Rather it is the culmination of many years of building and Jones gradually improving his team's quality and depth.

It would have been easy for him to walk away after their near misses - or for the club to decide they needed a new man to take them one step further. Fortunately for all involved at Cardiff, neither party did.

Jay Bothroyd and Scott Sinclair are the main men for their clubs this term

In contrast to 54-year-old Jones, his opposite number this weekend, Brendan Rodgers, will be taking charge of his first South Wales derby.

The Northern Irishman was appointed to the Swans hot seat after Paulo Sousa jumped ship for Leicester - a move the club have come much better off from than the Portuguese.

It meant City, for the second year in a row, started the new season with a different man at the helm. Where's the continuity there, you might ask?

True, the man picking the team may be different, but it is the culture of the manager that is more important.

Ever since chairman Huw Jenkins replaced Kenny Jackett with former captain and club legend Roberto Martinez, City have been establishing their own brand of football.

Their easy on the eye, fluid, short passing game swept them to League One glory in 2008 under Spaniard Martinez, who followed it up with a more than respectable 8th placed finish back in the second tier.

However, Martinez's departure to Premier League Wigan left Swansea supporters angry and concerned that their progress was about to stall.

Not so, and Jenkins must take huge credit for it. After all, how many other chairmen have taken a gamble on appointing successive managers who have been sacked after short and difficult times at their previous clubs?

That was the case when Sousa was installed in 2009 - fresh from a trip on QPR's managerial conveyor belt. The Portuguese was still untried and untested.

However, Jenkins knew he was appointing someone who would buy into Swansea's philosophy. Last season's finish of 7th featured an agonising late slump which cost them a place in the play offs.

After the turmoil of Martinez's departure though, it had still been a season of success and progress for City.

The appointment of Rodgers - who was fired from Reading last December with the Berkshire club struggling towards the Championship's foot - seemed to be another gamble.

Swansea were once again looking for somebody who would continue to build on the foundations his predecessors had left though.

Unlike with Reading, Rodgers's approach to the game was already established, and this season's impressive start is testament to a manager and group of players in sync with one another.

His connections from days at Chelsea also allowed him to snap up winger Scott Sinclair who, with 11 goals so far, is proving one of the signings of the season.

Despite their lofty finish, City were the Championship's lowest scorers last term, but now with firepower added to their silky approach, they look genuine top six contenders currently sitting in 3rd.

While it remains early days, it now seems the top flight of the English game could feature at least one club from Wales next season for the first time in 30 years.

Welsh football has had new life breathed in to it. The idea of stability must now follow suit.