Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Clarke is all set for West return with Cheltenham
DARRELL Clarke is set to be unveiled as the new manager of Cheltenham Town. The former Bristol Rovers, Walsall and Port Vale boss has been chosen as Wade Elliott’s successor at the League One club after a thorough interview process this week.
It is not clear whether Clarke will watch from the stands or the touchline as the Robins visit Lincoln City this afternoon.
The 45-year-old guided Rovers from the National League to League One with back-to-back promotions in 2015 and 2016 and then took Port Vale to League Two play-off success in 2022.
He also led non-League Salisbury
City to a pair of promotions in his first managerial position between 2011 and 2013.
Clarke’s task now is to try to keep Cheltenham in League One despite them having taken only one point from their first nine games of the season, without scoring a goal.
As a player, midfielder Clarke represented his hometown club, Mansfield, before spells playing at Hartlepool and Salisbury, also spending time on loan at Stockport, Port Vale and Rochdale.
Clarke is set to follow Steve Cotterill, Graham Allner, Bobby Gould, John Ward, Keith Downing, Martin Allen, Mark Yates, Paul Buckle, Gary Johnson, Michael Duff and Elliott to become the club’s 12th permanent manager in the EFL.
Cheltenham have been under the caretaker management of Kevin Russell for the past week.
Russell was also in charge when Stevenage won 3-0 at the JonnyRocks Stadium last weekend.
Meanwhile, Town midfielder Liam Sercombe insists Cheltenham need to “stick together” amid their torrid start to the campaign.
“It’s easy for me to sit here and say we all need to stick together, but I’ve been in times like this, even last year we had a sticky patch,” the 33-yearold told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.
“I think it makes it look a lot worse that it’s right at the start of the season. We’re obviously waiting for our first goal and first win, which is extreme, but we do need to stick together and keep working hard.
“That’s one thing this group of players will always do, is give everything out there. I feel we just need that little bit of luck, we haven’t had it so far, once we get our first goal even that will kick us on a little bit.
“The big thing is we just need to stick together and trust in the process and keep going because it will turn. In a few weeks time I’m pretty sure it will be a lot different and this will be put to bed. I know it’s a really sticky time at the minute but trust me, it will change.”
Bristol City host Leicester on their return to the Women’s Super League when the 2023/24 campaign kicks off tomorrow afternoon.
Leicester finished tenth of the 12 teams in the WSL last term, while the side from BS3 won the second-tier Women’s Championship.
Aston Villa versus Manchester United is the first game tomorrow.