Pitchero Non League

John Beck

....manager of Kettering Town.

The search for the Poppies’ next boss is gathering pace after they were provisionally placed in the Evo-Stik League Southern Premier Division for next season by the Football Association.

That has been done after Rolls revealed last week that the club will need to enter a Company Voluntary Agreement (CVA) to clear its outstanding debts of around £402,000.

The total debt of the club stands at £1.2m, although current and former directors have agreed to write off their loans.

A creditors meeting is due to take place at Nene Park on Friday, June 15th – just 24 hours before the Southern League holds its annual meeting, during which the Poppies will be hoping to secure their place in the division for the new campaign.

In the meantime, the search for the new manager continues.

And while Rolls admits he has put timescales on the search previously, he insists he is only focused on getting the right man to lead the Poppies to promotion next season, even though they will start the season with a ten-point deduction.

“We are an expectant football club,” the Poppies chief said.

“So what we will need is a manager who isn’t afraid of the challenge.

“I think this is a sought-after job and we have still had people applying for the position since it was revealed what level we will be playing at next season.

“We have interviewed a lot a candidates but we are wary of the fact that some people can talk a good game but can’t actually deliver it.

“The fact is, we want to get promoted next season.

“It will be hard, very hard but it is still a realistic expectation and we need a manager who we believe can deliver it.

“People will talk about John Beck and his style of play but look at the success he had at Cambridge United and at Histon, he knows what it takes to win.

“He and Richard Dryden are two outstanding candidates and are the frontrunners.

“But we will continue the search and make sure we get the right person.

“I know I have said that the new manager will be appointed this week and that week.

“But the situation continues to change and we have to make sure we get the right person.”

Dryden has had a spell as manager of Worcester City in the past but is best known for having been the assistant of former Kettering boss Mark Cooper.

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