Toolstation NCEL Premier Division
John Stancliffe wants the Maltby Main manager’s post on a permanent basis.
The goalkeeper-turned-tactician is in charge at Muglet Lane as interim chief until the end of the season following Louis Axcell’s shock sacking.
Stancliffe, who was Axcell’s assistant, was thrown into the top job after Maltby announced the news several hours after the goal-less draw with Handsworth last Saturday.
“I do (want the job permanently), I can’t lie,” Stancliffe told Non League Yorkshire.
“I would like the job.
“I wouldn’t say (the interim role) is an audition because I know the football club well as it is my second time back.
“They can probably see how I have developed as a coach and a football person since my first spell there five years ago (as Spencer Fearn’s assistant).
“I don’t think I need to have an audition for it.
“I think interim is the right way to go about it with there only being 14 games left and then me, (chairman) Dave (Watts) and the committee can sit down at the end of the season and hopefully start planning for next season.
“It is also a case of me looking at it and seeing if it is something I can do.
“Alright, we’re at Step 5 of Non League but what people don’t realise being a manager or an assistant manager is 24/7.
“You don’t just turn up for games and training, you’re constantly on the phone to players, other management, the chairman.
“You’re constantly thinking about games, training sessions so it is a full-time on top of a full-time job on top of a family and I don’t think many people realise that.”
Stancliffe returned to Maltby in the summer, five years after departing with Spencer Fearn at Frickley Athletic.
It was at Westfield Lane where Stancliffe tasted being a number one for the first time as he succeeded Fearn as interim Frickley boss in November 2017.
He endured a torrid time at the helm, a period that lasted several weeks.
What it failed to do is put him off management for good.
“If anything (the tough time as Frickley interim boss) made me more focussed to be successful,” he said.
“I never once had the experience at Frickley and thought ‘oh no that’s me done in football now’.
“I had a great experience working alongside Martin McIntosh and learnt a hell of a lot from him.
“I think that has put me in good stead.
“I took that knowledge to AFC Mansfield and we had a good second season there.
“From there I’ve ended up back at Maltby.”
Stancliffe has not ruled out appointing an assistant manager or capturing new signings prior to his bow as Maltby boss tomorrow at Thackley.
The battle is his first in the quest to finish high up the Premier Division table.
Stancliffe also had the honour of leading Maltby into the first Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup final since 1978 but that’s not on the radar at the moment.
“The cup final is probably the furthest thing in my mind because it will be probably our last game of the season,” he said.
“The cup final is a big game for the club, it is 44 years since their last one.
“But we have got league games before then and that’s the bread and butter and we want to finish as high as we can in the league.
“We have 14 games to go and I’ll take those 14 games as they come.
“We have a good squad.
“There is areas that need to be improved and I will look at doing that by bringing some players in.
“Hopefully the rest of the season will go well and we can keep the majority of the squad and go again next season and look to have another strong season in the cups and stronger season challenging in the league.”
Stancliffe also thanked Axcell and said he had spoken to him.
“I have nothing but the upmost respect for the job Louis did at Maltby and I’m grateful he brought me back to Maltby,” he said.
“I’ve learnt a lot from him.
“I’ve spoken to Louis a few times after the news came out.
“There’s no animosity.
“I spoke to Dave Watts the chairman and he asked me if I would take over as interim manager until the end of the season.
“But I wouldn’t have accepted that without Louis’s blessing which sums him up as the kind of guy he is that his response was ‘100% you have my backing, 100% I want you to be successful’.
“He’s been nothing but supportive and that’s the sort of guy he is.”