Heed poised to hand Clark the hotseat
VANARAMA National League club Gateshead are set to give Ben Clark the manager’s job on a permanent basis.
The popular Clark, 36 this month, will be one of the youngest managers in the fifth tier of English football.
The Heed stalwart and former captain will be handed his first senior management role until the end of the season.
The former Sunderland and Hartlepool defender steps into the breach following the shock departure of Steve Watson last week.
Former Newcastle star Watson joined Conference North outfit York City on an 18-month contract along with assistant Micky Cummins.
That has left Clark, who has spent eight years at Gateshead, to pick up the pieces, the Heed without a game at the weekend.
Clark took in Blyth Spartans’ FA Trophy win over Boreham Wood instead, with title favourites Salford City his Heed baptism of fire this weekend.
Clark told the Chronicle: “I would rather have had a game on Saturday to get started straight away, and it couldn’t come much tougher than Salford first up.
“But it’s a challenge I’m looking forward to. I wanted to be a manager at some point, and if I didn’t have a go during my career I would regret it.
“It’s come earlier than I expected, but I’ve been at Gateshead a long time and have a good relationship with the club.”
Clark, who played 280 games for Gateshead, will bring in an assistant and is hopeful the Heed can maintain a push for the playoffs.
“That’s the aim. We have good players at the club and no-one will be leaving if I have any say in it, but that’s over my head.”