ELPHICK’S AIMING TO CONQUER
Boss Gary goes to battle with Hastings
GARY Elphick admits he didn’t expect the Hastings United revival to happen so soon – but now they must seize their chance at taking the Isthmian League South East title.
The 36-year-old took over as manager in November following the shock resignation of Chris Agutter.
Elphick had been playing for the U’s since 2019 and was approached by chairman Billy Wood to take the reins.
The centre-back had led Worthing to promotion out of Step 4, aged 29, as joint-boss with Jon Meeney three years earlier – and he’s not looked back since returning to the dugout.
“It’s much better than I ever envisaged,” Elphick told The NLP with Hastings three points clear at the top and unbeaten in eight games, including seven clean sheets, before yesterday’s match at Whitstable. “I always thought it would be a little bit of a slower process.
“Chris Agutter was superb and a lot of credit goes to him. The foundations he laid at the club were second to none. It’s made my job a lot easier taking over from him.
Appetite
“But I’ve put my own stamp on it. We attack the flanks a lot more now, we go forward at most opportunities although we’re still possession-based. Thankfully, it looks like we’ve got the balance just right at the moment but I stress that football can change in a week.”
Elphick’s young brother, Tommy, the former Bournemouth captain who led the club into the Premier League, recently became a coach with the Cherries U21s which wetted his appetite.
“I was watching how he was progressing and the things he was saying about sessions,” he said. “It’s a great support network that I’m fortunate to have. It flavoured me up a bit to go back into management and thankfully it’s gone well so far.
But I’ll remain grounded because one week you can be Pep Guardiola and the next a total plonker!”
Elphick’s first two moves were to reunite with Meeney by ap- p o i n t i n g him as assistant and calling time on his playing career after making over 600 appearances for the likes of St Albans City, Havant & Waterlooville, Eastbourne Borough, Tonbridge Angels and Worthing.
He also had to adapt fast to the tricky transition of going from player to manager in the same dressing room.
“You’ve got to draw the line in the sand,” said Elphick. “It’s a struggle
because you’re letting mates down if they’re not starting or even in the squad.
“On the flip side, I knew what makes players tick, you know their personalities and possibly their best positions – Tom Chalmers was playing midfield and I’ve put him at right-back and he’s been incredible, like a new signing.”
Two actual signings have also made a big impact. Finn O’Mara, on loan from Folkestone Invicta, directly replaced
Elphick at centre-back while ex-Hythe Town winger Andrew Sesay brought a new dynamic in attack.
Consistency
Hastings make no secret about their ambition to progress through the pyramid after being frustrated by two curtailed seasons. Elphick knows he must deliver.
“There’s a huge amount of pressure on my shoulders but one that I also look forward to embrace,” he added.
“The consistency levels we’ve shown over the festive period have been fantastic but it means nothing. We must keep turning up churning out results.
“Previous winners all had strong festive period and by the time February comes there’s a points difference.
“I keep echoing to my players that if we can get there being six or nine points clear then it becomes a bit of a mind game where opponents are looking for our results and if they see us win it deflates them.”