Toolstation NCEL Division One
Selby Town manager Christian Fox has done an outstanding job and has been offered a long-term contract by chairman Ralph Pearse
Selby Town have offered their highly-rated young manager Christian Fox a long-term contract, chairman Ralph Pearse has confirmed.
Fox is hot property after having staged a revolution at Richard Street having led his Selby ‘superheroes’ to their first WRCC final in 25 years as well as turning them into play-offs contenders.
Fox, labelled as Selby’s Messiah by Mr Pearse in December, has also helped attendances to rise because of his side’s swashbuckling style of play.
Mr Pearse publicly revealed the contract talks following Selby’s 4-1 defeat to higher league Farsley Celtic in the West Riding County Cup Final.
He told Non League Yorkshire: “I hope to tie him down to a minimum of a two-year deal at the end of the season and keep him at the club.
“It is only going to get better and better under him. I’ve spoken to him and he’s wants to stay for the long-term.
“He’s one of the most outstanding young managers out there in the NCEL, without a doubt. He has a lot about him. He’s respected by the players, he mixes with the supporters and everyone likes him.
“The style of football has been excellent, we play some good stuff, there’s no getting away from it.
“He’s the best manager we have had in ten years since Bob Lyon was in charge. That’s not been disrespectful to everyone who has had a go at it, but Christian has had a go and turned up trumps for us.
“He has great people around him with a good band of players and we’re looking forward to the future.”
Fox engineered three upsets in the County Cup to reach the final. Selby defeated Bradford (Park Avenue), FC Halifax Town and Tadcaster Albion, but Farsley were a bridge too far.
Despite the defeat, an emotional Mr Pearse was not disheartened and praised the club’s players and supporters.
“I’m very proud of Selby Town tonight,” he said.
“The support we had at Woodlesford was fantastic. We deserved to get to the final, but tonight we came across a very good Farsley side who played some really football and were clinical when finishing.
“They proved the gulf between where we are and where they are. We pulled a goal back which I was glad about.
“The lads never gave up, they kept battling away and they did the club proud with their efforts.”
You can read more of Ralph Pearse’s views at 6pm tonight, including his opinion of the fixture congestion that has crippled his club.