By Sam Elliott
RICHARD HILL is keen to take on the role of manager at troubled FC Halifax Town, The Non-League Paper has learned – as Neil Aspin nears a return.
Hill, who took Eastleigh to the Conference South title in 2013-14 and also to the Vanarama Premier play-offs last season, feels the time is right to get back into the game.
The former Oxford United and Northampton Town player has been out of work since resigning as Spitfires boss in late September, saying he owed it to the club to allow someone else the opportunity to fulfil their promotion ambitions.
Halifax would be a different challenge altogether, bottom of the table having sacked two managers in as many months. The Shaymen were at least lifted by Saturday’s fine 4-1 win at Gateshead. Jim Harvey oversaw the victory and is said to want the role full-time.
To add to the managerial merry-go-round, their win at the International Stadium cost Heed boss Malcolm Crosby his job. The NLP understands former Halifax manager Aspin – fired in September after a poor start – is expected to be named the north east club’s new boss imminently, although former Cambridge United chief Richard Money is also in the frame.
Talking before the Shaymen’s win, Town goalkeeper Matt Glennon said the club’s players have to take a “massive” share of the responsibility after the club sacked its second manager inside two months following years of stability.
Irishman Darren Kelly lost his job last week – hot on the heels of Shay legend Aspin, a position he had held since 2009 after taking the club from Step 4 right the way through to the Conference play-offs.
Kelly’s miserable season has seen him fired from two jobs already, leaving League One Oldham Athletic in early September after a sluggish start. In total he has taken charge of just 19 games, winning only three matches in total.
Since arriving on October 1, the Shaymen let in 35 goals in Kelly’s ten game tenure. The 6-3 home hammering against Braintree Town last weekend was the final straw.
But experienced Glennon, 37, says the blame lies at the door of the Halifax squad – and not the men taking the team.
He told The NLP: “Darren is a good man, just like Neil Aspin was a good man. Darren was my centre-back when we were at Carlisle United together so I know him well – he wanted to get things going but couldn’t. I really hope he is back in the game very soon.
“Both of them deserved more, and we have to take a massive share of the responsibility. They have lost their jobs and it’s because at times this season we have unfortunately produced utter garbage.
“I also feel for the chairman (David Bosomworth). He is not used to having to pull the trigger, he’s never had to make the type of calls he has in the past two months. He’s been put in a position because results just haven’t been good enough.
“Too many below par performances from too many has consequences. The bad days have come too often but now we’ve got to really work hard and give this everything.
“The hope is that sooner rather than later a new manager is brought in and we can start to turn the corner. We will go on a run at some point but we need it to arrive very soon.”
