FANS’ VIEW
Pupil meets the master as McCarthy goes head to head with Burr
Steve Hill speaks to Steve Burr and Jon McCarthy as the two bosses go head to head in next week’s Cup
When the FA Cup fourth qualifying round draw was held live on talkSport, the first tie out of the mythical velvet bag was loaded with intrigue.
Despite the relative proximity of the two National League clubs, Southport versus Chester is not a traditional rivalry. However, the clash carries added spice due to the respective managers, Steve Burr and Jon McCarthy, who go up against each other for the first time since the latter replaced the former in the Chester hot seat.
Having made his name managerially at Kidderminster Harriers, former Macclesfield Town striker Burr seemed a good fit for Chester when he was appointed in January 2014, replacing Neil Young who had won three successive championships for the reformed club. Sadly, Young was found lacking at Conference level, despite a heroic victory at archrivals Wrexham that probably extended his stay.
Second chance
Burr started with a brace of victories and appeared to have steadied the ship, but could never quite shake off the spectre of relegation. On a stomach-churning final day, the Deva Stadium outfit were devastatingly sent down with minutes to spare.
Fast forward to the summer: Hereford United were kicked out, and Chester, as the fourth bottom club, were astonishingly reprieved. It’s an opportunity that Burr took with both hands, leading the Cheshire club to a respectable 12th place in his first full season.
Great things were expected, but the team appeared to go backwards, destabilised by a series of seemingly arbitrary loan signings. In his defence, Burr occasionally struck gold, bringing in the likes of goalscorers Matty Taylor and Oliver McBurnie, who were eventually snapped up by Bristol Rovers and Swansea City respectively. But too often Burr’s profligate loan policy resulted in a lot of square pegs in round holes. The fans even raised £20,000 for the cause, apparently squandered on yet more forgettable loanees. With the team in freefall, Burr effectively signed his own execution warrant when he admitted, “I can’t put confidence into the players,” a statement akin to a driving instructor saying that he can’t drive.
With four games to go and the trapdoor beckoning, the board pulled the trigger and appointed Burr’s assistant McCarthy for the rest of the season. The former Northern Ireland international promptly won the last three matches in some style, saving the season and effectively submitting his CV.
Appointed permanently in the summer, McCarthy’s reign began in erratic fashion, but an early 3-0 drubbing of Dagenham & Redbridge showcased the potential of the side. Sticking to his guns, the team have now gelled into an exciting young attacking outfit, the Deva has become a fortress, and at the time of writing they sit in 11th place on a run of seven consecutive clean sheets.
As for Burr, a manager of his experience was never going to be out of the game for too long. With the seemingly weekly National League sacking merry-goround stopping at Southport, Andy Bishop was replaced by Burr, but the likable boss has not found it easy. The Sandgrounders’ recent 4-0 drubbing at Solihull Moors live on BT Sport was exacerbated by them having to wear the home team’s away kit due to a mix-up. Cue the Moors fans singing, “You’re not fit to wear the shirt.”
Good times
Burr may look to the FA Cup for redemption, having taken Chester on an epic run in 2014. Memorably dispatching Stockport County and Southend United away from home, 2,000 Chester fans travelled to Barnsley and came within a whisker of the third round in a genuinely thrilling 0-0 draw, before succumbing in the replay. One of the key Cup memories was Burr – a big fan of The Who – gleefully playing air guitar on the Oakwell pitch. At this level, the £12,500 on offer for making the first round is invaluable. On the pitch, Chester’s rejuvenated winger and FA Cup hero, Craig Mahon, will relish going up against Southport’s recently signed Burr favourite, Ryan Higgins, latterly of Chester FC. Riding high in the form table, the Cheshire side will probably go into the game as favourites, particularly having broken their away duck with a hard fought 1-0 win at North Ferriby on Tuesday night. Despite the Chester public’s unfathomable apathy this season, there is no reason why they shouldn’t take the best part of 1,000 to Southport for a proper FA Cup away day. We should remember the good times under Burr, and look forward to many more under McCarthy.
“BURR ON MCCARTHY... I’ve kept in touch with Jon. I’m pleased he got the opportunity a go. He’s just to give starting out it he’ll be wanting and I’m sure great to make the most of it. It’s a club and I know how much it the supporters means Football for the club to to League. be back in the He’s very thorough. I know he’ll picked one or have two things up when he was from me working under he’ll certainly me. So be wanting to one over me, put that’s for sure.” “MCCARTHY ON BURR... on well, he Steve and myself get Town and was my boss at Hucknall of course I was Northwich Victoria, and here at Chester. I his assistant manager for him and I have have the utmost respect learned a lot from him. the FA Cup, “We want to do well in with Southport. and fate has paired us or myself will be Obviously either Steve the tie. However, the happier following am sure we whatever the result, I with will have a glass of wine each other following the game.”