Former Wakefield manager Paul Lines is waiting for the right opportunity before returning to management
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Paul Lines insists that he plans to return to Non League Football management, but only when the right opportunity comes along.
Lines’ two and a half years stint as Wakefield FC came to an end earlier this month when the club folded.
Lines had earned many plaudits for his leadership of Wakefield and for keeping them in the Evo Stik Division One North on almost non-existence playing budget.
He is also one of Yorkshire Amateur’s greatest managers after guiding them to third place in the Toolstation NCEL Division One – arguably one of the greatest achievements in local football in recent memory.
Lines now intends to go out and watch local matches and wait for chances to return to materialise.
“i’m just having some time out at the moment,” Lines told Non League Yorkshire.
“But, if any jobs become available I’ll definitely consider them.
“I’ve done well at every club I’ve been at and I have a good CV.
“I’ve always had jobs with no money so I’d like to think I can do well with a bit of a budget behind me.
“It would be nice to be given the opportunity. If I fail, I fail, but I’d like the opportunity.”
Wakefield were relegated in April after failing to secure a ground good enough for the NPL by the deadline after landlords Wakefield Wildcats forced them out by increasing their rent demands.
The club were due to take their place in the NCEL, but the shareholders decided to pull the plug at the beginning of July.
Lines had held the post since November 2011 after succeeding Mark Brier, whose reign lasted two games. He kept them up that season after taking the survival battle to the final day.
He repeated the same trick 12 months later, but a third consecutive successful relegation battle was not to happen.
Lines, who was not surprised when the club folded, admits his role at Wakefield was almost the impossible job.
“It isn’t life or death at the end of the day,” he added.
“It was always going to happen with having no (permanent) ground.
“Simon Turfrey though deserves credit for keeping the club going and it was him who saved the club (in 2011).
“But, I go back to what I said at the start of the season that my third season (at Wakefield) was always going to be the hardest.
“We had more constraints like the Wildcats putting up the rent so this all affected the little budget I had.
“But we competed with top teams at times.
“We always brought in players with potential and it’s good to see them dotted about and being taken on by clubs.
“Obviously Rob Bordman is at Ossett Town, but there’s a few at Ossett Albion and Garforth Town so there’s not many not at clubs.
“It was always hard to attract to players. If someone had to work on a Saturday and got paid for doing so, he’s not going to play for Wakefield for nothing that nothing.
“But, if I had a budget and was able to pay them £60 or £70 to play then they may turn round and say I’ll just work the morning and play football in the afternoon.
“I don’t like saying it, but money does help in this climate.”