CHALLINOR SACKED ON AN OFF-DAY

DAVE CHALLINOR has been tipped to become a Football League manager soon – by the men who sacked him when his team should have been playing.

Challinor (above) saw his eight-year stay at AFC

Fylde brought to an abrupt end by chairman David Haythornthwaite and club president Dai Davies.

They swung the axe at 3.30pm on Saturday when the Lancashire outfit should have been in action at home to Sutton United.

Chronic rail delays out of Euston station meant that game – plus Dagenham and Redbridge’s trip to Stockport and Barrow v Dover – were called off.

Fylde played at Wembley twice last season, losing in the National League playoffs and winning the FA Trophy. But they are currently in the relegation zone with just 16 points from as many games.

Haythornthwaite pulled the plug because he has budgeted for a squad to reach the Football League rather than drop into the National League North.

But he conceded, in a joint statement with Davies, the man he sacked might get there first.

It said: “We have no doubt in our mind that sometime in the not too distant future Dave Challinor (above) will become a Football League manager and he leaves with our sincere thanks and best wishes.”

In the games that did go ahead, none of the top six at the start of the day managed to win.

Halifax, Bromley and Yeovil were all beaten but remain as the top three.

Woking, who kicked off in fifth place, dropped to seventh despite gaining ground on the leaders through a 2-2 draw with Barnet.

That was because Notts County and Solihull Moors climbed above them by beating Torquay, who dropped from sixth to ninth, and Bromley respectively.