Jim’s award is collective effort
NEWLY-CROWNED Manager of the Month Jim Gannon reflected on his “great pride”, as The Hatters made it six wins on the bounce with a 5-0 thrashing of Truro City in the FA Trophy on Saturday.
Four goals from talisman Matty Warburton, along with a first half Darren Stephenson strike, put the National League South side to the sword, handing County a third round clash with National League Harrogate Town.
Gannon, who has masterminded his side to six consecutive clean sheets to accompany The Hatters’ six successive wins, was awarded with the National League North’s Manager of the Month gong following the thrashing for an unbeaten December – before directing the praise to his in-form players.
“I’m delighted to accept the award on behalf of everybody at the club, because it’s hard to pick out any one player or any one person for recognition,” he said.
“It’s been a massive collective effort by eveyone during December, it was a really tough month for us, so it’s great that this kind of reward has come to the club.”
Star man Warburton took his own personal tally to eighteen for the season with Saturday’s remarkable four-goal haul, securing a hat-trick inside the opening halfhour at Edgeley Park.
And Gannon was quick to highlight another impressive showing from the attacking midfielder, who sealed the fine win with a fourth after the break.
“It’s a scintillating display by Matty. But you can go through the team and see that we’re constantly improving all over the pitch. We had Ben Hinchliffe taking his distribution to another level on Saturday, for example – you can just see the whole team elevating their own individual performances.
“Matty has been excellent in so much more than goalscoring. He tracks back, he wins it, he combines perfectly with Frank – he’s playing his position to perfection.
“From the day he signed for us, he’s been one player who I really think I can’t improve because he’s already performing at such a high standard.”
With County flying in both the Trophy and in league action, now sitting in third place and just a solitary point behind Bradford PA in second with a game in hand, talk has predictably been rife about transfer interest in Gannon’s side.
Left-back Scott Duxbury, currently out of contract at Edgeley Park this summer, has attracted the attention of a number of Football League clubs, with scouts from Wigan Athletic casting an eye over the 23 year-old - but Gannon downplayed any fears of County losing any members of the squad.
Club officials are reportedly set to sit down with Duxbury over the coming weeks to thrash out a contract extension with confidence high inside Edgeley Park that the Darwen-born defender will put pen to paper with The Hatters.
“The only player we’re fearful of losing is Jamie Stott, as he’s not our own player.
“I’ve not had any calls from anyone, and nobody wants to leave. They’re all enjoying themselves and enjoying being here,” said Gannon.
“It’s very difficult to improve this side at the moment. It’s the best we’ve had at this level. But we are very conscious that we only have the 18 players and are at risk of suspension or injury.
“I expect nobody to leave us, and I expect us to add one player – possibly an attacking option.
“This team can achieve great things, and we just need to ensure that we’re not at risk of losing a player here or there to injury or suspension to de-energise us.”
‘I’m delighted to accept this award on behalf of everybody at the club’