NO HYDE-ING FOR BOSS KELLY NOW
Anything but promotion ‘is a failure’
ANYTHING but promotion for stricken Hyde United next season would be a failure, according to boss Darren Kelly.
There hasn’t been much to shout about for Tigers’ fans over the past three seasons – all three have ended in relegation.
It means they’ll be kicking off next term in the Step 4 EvoStik NPL Division One North, desperate to get that winning feeling back again.
The same could be said for manager Kelly, who endured a tough first season in management after starting in League One with Oldham.
He was afforded just nine games in charge of the Latics before a move to FC Halifax Town in the National League failed to work out either.
Kelly, 36, replaced Gary Lowe as Hyde boss at the end of March, with the club spiralling towards the drop.
Though the Northern Irishman couldn’t save them, he was named the Tigers’ permanent boss soon after and says he has plenty to prove heading into the new season.
“Life’s a learning process. I’ve been knocked down, but I’ve got back up and I still believe in what I do and what I can bring to the table,” said Kelly, who played in the EvoStik NPL North with Garforth four years ago.
“When I did my UEFA Pro Licence, the plan was always to start at the bottom and work my way up. I applied for the Oldham job and got lucky.
“I enjoyed my time at Oldham, but the professionalism just wasn’t there at Halifax, which is why I left. My name was tarnished, let’s be honest.
Different
“What you’ve got to do is get another job and prove your point.
“I was offered the job at Hyde two years ago and would have taken it under different circumstances, but I’m here now.”
James Burke, Big Khamsuk, Andy Pearson and Adam Jones have re-signed with the Tigers, while Phil Dean, Kyle Brownhill, Matthew Dempsey and Dave McGurk have all arrived.
They will be playing on a new 3G pitch being laid down at Ewen Fields, with the club hoping the new surface will lead to a change of fortunes. Kelly is confident of putting smiles back on faces in Greater Manchester and isn’t shy about letting his targets be known. “The club has been relegated three times in a row, so I’m not looking at stabilising.We all want promotion,” he added. “Yes, it’s putting pressure on myself but I thrive on that. To be honest, if we don’t win promotion I would say the season has been a failure and that’s on my shoulders. “The 3G pitch will be massive for the club. “My philosophy is I want to play football, so it can only help in that regard. “The extra revenue it will bring in will get the club stabilised from a financial point of view. “Over the last few seasons, teams have enjoyed coming to Hyde because they expected three points. “I’ve got to change the whole mentality of the club – the players, staff and supporters.”