Craig Elliott has to be given time at Shaw Lane Aquaforce
Simon Houghton was ousted after just one blip during his seven months at the helm of Shaw Lane Aquaforce.
The club want promotion into the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division this season and his successor Craig Elliott has 13 games to make that dream a reality.
It is going to be a tough ask because Cleethorpes and Bottesford are beginning to pull away even before he has taken charge of a match.
He has given up a lot to become the Aquaforce manager. Leaving Ossett Town, a club fighting for an Evo Stik Division One North play-offs place, must have required a lot of thought.
The appointment is a gigantic coup for Aquaforce so they have to give him time, at least a full season, to show what he can do even if the club don’t get promoted.
If 13 games is all he’s given then the manager’s role at Aquaforce will turn into a circus act.
Whilst are some are shocked at the drop in divisions, it should be remembered that Elliott has been an excellent manager for Ossett. The club were in the doldrums when he took charge in May 2012 and he has turned them into a top half Evo Stik Division One North team on a relatively low budget.
His ability to pluck unknown quantities from the NCEL and turn them into top Evo Stik players should be praised and be one of the best achievements of his Ingfield reign. Striker Jimmy Eyles is by the far his biggest masterstroke signing, but players like Richard and Danny Patterson, Steven Jeff, Ryan Qualter (now of Bradford Park Avenue fame) and Gary Stohrer have also been brilliant signings from the NCEL.
He leaves a good base for his successor to build on. Not many changes are needed. It is the club who have the hard decision to make because of the overwhelming interest in the post – one which is still expected before Saturday’s trip to Cammell Laird.
Eccleshill United reached their first West Riding County Cup final since 2000 last night after beating Guiseley 2-1.
Eccleshill will play Simon Weaver’s Harrogate Town at Valley Parade in May.
Eccleshill are mainly made up American players due to their partnership with RIASA (Richmond International Academic Soccer Academy).
RIASA also have a partnership with Garforth Town, the club who beat Eccleshill in the 2000 County Cup final.