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Gazza set to cut managerial teeth

13/10/2005

Paul Gascoigne will make a surprise return to football as Kettering Town manager next week – provided that the takeover deal with which he is involved goes through.

Imraan Ladak, leader of the consortium bidding to gain control of the Conference North club, stated last week that the former England star would play an "active role" within any new setup, and revealed today that Gascoigne’s role will be even more high-profile than expected.

Gascoigne, who left his post as assistant coach at League Two side Boston in October, will be the fulcrum of a three-tiered managerial system if loose ends are tied up after the weekend.

Paul Davis, a mainstay of Arsenal’s successful George Graham era, will assist Gascoigne as head coach, while current manager Kevin Wilson – once a prolific marksman for Ipswich and Chelsea – will assume an upstairs role as director of football.

Talking to the Northampton Evening Telegraph, Ladak sketched the outlines of a glittering vision for the club’s future.

He said: "I believe we have the dream team here to make great things happen. We are all very excited about it.

"This is not a five-year plan but a 15-year one. I believe Kettering are a sleeping giant and the potential is huge. I believe we can be playing league football and filling a stadium with 7,000 people. But there is so much work to be done.”

Ladak plans to follow the lead of an increasing number of non-league sides - including 18 of those in the Conference proper – and turn Kettering into a full-time operation.

Kettering will hope to avoid the pitfalls suffered by the last couple of non-league clubs to state their big ambitions. Last year Hornchurch Town, having invested unparalleled amounts in attempting to rise swiftly through the non-league pyramid, were forced to withdraw from the Conference South after the collapse of their backers.

Farnborough Town experienced similar woes in 2003, when owner and manager Graham Westley – having led his side to promotion from the Conference and an FA Cup day in the sun at Highbury – decamped to Stevenage with half of his squad and left the club with crippling debts.

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