Danny Clifton is named as the new manager of Holbeach United
Newly-appointed Holbeach boss Danny Clifton felt the timing was right for him to embark on his next managerial challenge after taking over at the United Counties League Premier Division North club.
Clifton has joined the Tigers after a successful spell with Northern Premier League Midlands Division club Yaxley where he has been running the Cuckoos' reserve side this season after working with the club's youth teams.
He has also spent six years working within the youth set-up at Cambridge United after a playing career that included spells with Blackstones, Boston Town, Wisbech Town and Stamford as well as a Peterborough League Premier Division title triumph with Pearl.
Clifton replaces Gary Frost who departed the Tigers last week and is looking forward to having the chance to revive Holbeach's fortunes.
He said: "I am relishing the opportunity and firstly I am grateful that the club has given me the chance.
"I got the call out of the blue but it's something that has always been at the back of my mind about challenging myself.
"I have had a duty to a lot of young players over the years because a lot have come through with me and that's been my main focus.
"It's hard to cut yourself away from them but it's got to the stage now where they're old enough to be on their own journey and I had to make a decision for myself at some point and the timing was right.
"Holbeach have offered me an opportunity which is the way that I see it and that is a privilege."
Clifton takes charge of a Holbeach side who are 10 points adrift of safety following Saturday's 5-0 defeat at Quorn.
His first match at the helm will be this weekend when the Tigers host Skegness Town at Carter's Park on Saturday.
He added: "Everyone works differently and I would like to work on trust.
"I want the guys currently at the club to be on the same wavelength as me and just enjoy the moment and be excited about the prospect of playing at that level, regardless of the position that the club is in.
"I want to try and get across to the players that the pressure is on me and not them.
"I want them to go out and perform and just enjoy the fact that they're playing step five football every week and we'll take it from there."
Clifton watched the Tigers on Saturday as they held their own at Quorn until conceding a second goal shortly after the break.
The hosts had hit the front from the penalty spot through Jordan Clarke after Kyle Bryant had been fouled.
And they looked to double their advantage before the break with Jack Samples hitting the woodwork and then Holbeach goalkeeper Jake Frestle producing a fantastic double save on the stroke of half-time.
Quorn did add their second within two minutes of the restart through Charlie Marzano before Ben Gowing grabbed a third with a close range finish shortly after.
Two goals in the final 12 minutes then sealed Holbeach's fate as Brandon Fox tapped home the fourth before Gowing completed the scoring to seal a third successive victory for the hosts and condemn Holbeach to their 15th defeat from 17 league outings this season.
Clifton continued: "You can clearly see that they're a group of lads who have lost a bit of direction.
"They competed really well for 50 minutes and gave everything they had by wearing their heart on the sleeve but, once that second goal went in, everything collapsed.
"They have only got to climb two places in the division to succeed though which is not impossible.
"The next four games coming up could have been much worse but the team are where they are for a reason and the first job is to find out why."
Clifton will be joined at Holbeach by former Yaxley first team coach Dan Dobson while Tigers goalkeeper Rick Drury will continue to help the new manager from the dug-out due to being sidelined by a hernia injury.
The boss hopes the duo will provide the perfect combination as the new management team look to develop the talent at the club as well as making any possible additions.
Clifton commented: "Dan's got experience at step four level with Yaxley and we're good friends as well while Rick has the knowledge of the football club which is key for me.
"It's nice that I've got someone on my right-hand side who has that higher level experience while I've got someone on my left-hand side who has the experience of the football club.
"I am going to try and draw on both of them because we are all the number one. I don't want it to be that what I say goes because sometimes their opinion is going to be a lot more valuable because we are all in it together.
"I have seen what is going on through the club at Holbeach though from taking teams over there and they have everything to be able to develop and grow.
"I have seen at Cambridge how the players get bled through the levels and I have tried to continue that at non-league.
"We had a really successful Under 16s and Under 18s team at Yaxley and four players have broken through into the first team.
"The talent is there at Holbeach from a huge pool that is coming through but it's about giving them a bit of guidance.
"It's a side which is my strength so trying to get it working to attract the more experienced players, in particular, back to Holbeach is my first challenge.
"Ideally I would love to draw some of the Holbeach players back. It's the first target but these guys don't know me so it's a big ask and it might take time to see what I'm doing and then maybe they will."