Toolstation NCEL Division One
Halifax Irish boss Chris Ellerby is the new manager of Nostell Miners Welfare
Chris Ellerby admits he agonised over leaving Halifax Irish, but he knew he had to accept the opportunity of managing Nostell Miners Welfare.
Ellerby, who is only 29, was confirmed as the permanent replacement for Graham Nicholas on Friday afternoon, ahead of the trip to Glasshoughton Welfare.
The appointment ended his long association with Irish which goes right back to his childhood. He has played for them, coached their juniors, second team and finally the first team. His tenure of the first team lasted six years and was glory-laden.
Many of Ellerby’s players from the last few years are also now playing in the NCEL, such as AFC Emley’s star man Jordan Coduri.
“My father is Irish so it was not just about the football, it is about the heritage,” Ellerby told Non League Yorkshire.
“My brother (Daniel Hayes) is also a world champion in Gaelic handball in Ireland. I’m an Irishman brought up in England.
“So it was a very hard decision to get decide to leave. When I went over to Nostell on Thursday, I was still 50/50. My head was saying ‘go to Nostell because it is a great opportunity’, but my heart was saying stay at Irish.
“My auntie and uncle used to run the Irish Democratic Club so it is in my blood. My step-dad also helped set up the junior football section so I’ve been going up there since I was very little.
“It is a great club and they gave me the first team job at 23 which is unheard of. One because we bottom of the league and two because not many 23-year-olds will accept such a role that requires so much commitment.
“The club has been great with me. But joining Nostell was the right thing to do. A lot of the lads who I have had and have progressed into the NCEL have been getting into me for while to look for a job in the NCEL.
“When you look at the size of the club along with the facilities that Nostell have, to get my first appointment in the NCEL at the age of 29 is more than I could have wished for.”
Ellerby did briefly in the NCEL for Glasshoughton under Stuart Waddington seven years ago, but a knee injury put pay to his playing career.
“When I was younger, I obviously to play like everyone else, but I realised with my knee that my mind was at the right level, but not my body so I’ve stuck to managing,” he adds.
Caretaker manager Scott Atkinson will be his assistant and although his number two will pick the team for the visit of Glasshoughton, Ellerby will be in charge.
Two new players have arrived in time – full-back Brad Wilkinson (Liversedge) and (winger) Leon Hillsbrook (AFC Emley).
To win the position, Ellerby also had to buy into the sporting director model that Nostell have adopted and the new Nostell boss says that he supports the structure.
“(Chairman) Kevin (Allsop) has great experience and people who I spoken to have said that we’ll get on well,” he said.
“We want local lads to play for the club and we want it to be a community club again.
“We may look further afield for players, but they would have to buy into the club and what we want to achieve. The squad is light at the moment, but we want to give everyone already here a chance. There won’t be mass changes.
“The situation we are in isn’t good, but if we can have a good October and November then we could end up in the top half.
“You look at the Campion game on Wednesday. If it had gone the other way we would have been three points behind them.
“There’s no reason why we can’t have a good run of form and shoot up the table very quickly.”