Ossett Town interim boss Steven Jeff contacted Tadcaster manager Paul Marshall on Thursday to ask for players for the trip to Cammell Laird
Ossett Town interim boss Steven Jeff has won the praise of his former manager Paul Marshall for his stint in charge at Ingfield.
Full-back Jeff hands over the keys to the Ossett dressing room to John Reed tomorrow after two games at the helm following the departure of Craig Elliott to Shaw Lane Aquaforce.
Jeff moved from Tadcaster Albion to Ossett last summer and Marshall was sad to see him leave and believes he has done Ossett proud by stepping into the breach.
Jeff took a patched-up team to Cammell Laird yesterday and won 2-1 and Marshall said: “I’m pleased for Jeffy that they won at Cammell Laird.
“I was surprised when he was put in charge, but to be fair to Steve he’s so enthusiastic about the game.
“He improved when playing for us and scored 17 goals last season and got his move to Ossett. He deserved it.
“He’s won one and drawn and good on him. He might take over from me at Tad when he’s finished playing!
“It was an awful situation for him. He rang me for some players on Thursday. He said some players were going to go and the new manager wasn’t going to be in until Monday.
“I wished him all the best and said ‘welcome to the world of management’! He’s only 28 and he’s player-manager. He’s a good lad and deserves a lot of credit for taking charge because he’s a young lad who just wants to play football.
“He doesn’t want to get involved in all the c**p that managers have to deal with.”
Marshall and Reed have one thing in common – they have both managed Harrogate Town. Marshall held the reins for over a year in 1998, while Reed was the Town chief from 2001 to 2005.
Reed is one of Harrogate’s greatest managers having led them from the NPL Division One to the Conference North. He has also won promotions and the FA Vase during a managerial career spanning 30-years and Marshall says it is a sensible move.
“They have gone for a safe manager who knows the league well,” he added.
“He has had success in the league at Harrogate Town and he knows the scene inside out.
“He was helping Rudy (Funk) at Scarborough so he has never been away from it.
“It depends on what he has to work with (on whether he is successful). But, he has the experience to get them into the play-offs. (Reed’s assistant) Clive (Freeman) is also a good lad. I played with him when I was younger at Harrogate Town and I like him a lot.
“They should do well. There’s no reason why they shouldn’t do well.”