AFC Fylde appoint two experienced EFL players as interim managers following sacking

AFC Fylde appoint two experienced EFL players as interim managers following the sacking of Jim Bentley, announced on Friday afternoon.

Bentley has left the Coasters, having been in charge since October 2019, following a midweek defeat against York City which left the club fourth in National League North, albeit 14 points behind leaders Gateshead.

Bentley’s assistant, Nick Chadwick, and first-team performance analyst, Andy Taylor, will take interim charge, starting with the weekend’s match against Bradford (Park Avenue).

AFC Fylde can today confirm the departure of Jim Bentley as first-team manager.

— AFC Fylde (@AFCFylde) March 4, 2022

CLUB STATEMENT:

It is with regret that today AFC Fylde announces the departure of First-Team manager Jim Bentley.

Bentley joined the club in October 2019 after a 17-year association with Morecambe. Much of Jim’s first two seasons at the club were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to the curtailment of football at National League and National League North Level.

Despite a promising start to this campaign, a recent run of poor form has left the Coasters off the pace and heading in the wrong direction, so after Tuesday’s defeat to York City, it was decided a change was needed.

Club Chairman and Owner David Haythornthwaite said: “These things are never easy, and Jim is a true gentleman and someone I have great respect for as an individual, so yesterday’s conversation was difficult but one we had to have.

“I want to thank Jim for all his efforts while at the Club and wish him all the best for the future. In the meantime, Nick Chadwick and Andy Taylor will take over on an interim basis, starting with this Saturday’s game against Bradford (Park Avenue) AFC.”

The Club will make no further comment until necessary to do so.

Midfielder Danny Philliskirk, another name familiar to fans of Football League clubs, said he was determined to keep a sense of positivity and perspective following the loss to York.

The 30-year-old said: ”I thought the performance was better than previous losses. I didn’t feel we performed badly and it could have gone either way.

“I’ll just be my normal self as captain – try to get the ball, organise and lead by example. That’s what I’ve always done throughout my career.

“I haven’t been captain before but hopefully until Whits (Alex Whitmore) is back I’ll continue and I hope he is back soon because he’s a big player for us.

“We are fortunate to be full-time and we just have to stay positive. There are worse things in life going on at the minute.

“Yes, we want to win the league. Is it looking likely at the minute?

“We are fortunate to be full-time and we just have to stay positive. There are worse things in life going on at the minute.

“Yes, we want to win the league. Is it looking likely at the minute?

“Potentially not but we want to finish as high as we can, and if we can win two, three or four on the spin who knows?”

As for the York game, Philliskirk said: “I thought it was a good advert for the league. They are one of the better teams who have come here this season but it’s very frustrating.

“The first half was probably 50-50 but in the first 20-25 minutes of the second half we were dominating.

“Then we conceded a sloppy goal, one becomes two and unfortunately we lose the game.”

Assistant boss Nick Chadwick agrees Tuesday’s match was one the Coasters could have won.

He said: “I’ve been angry with the players after some of the performances, especially at home, but tonight I thought the performance level was good for the majority of the game, but you can’t fault the effort of the players.

“For me it’s about them dusting themselves down and getting ready to produce a good performance on Saturday.

“If we can get some goals and wins that will breed confidence among the group.

“It’s a young group and there are more players with coats on not available than there are turning out and trying their best for us.

“We have to give them confidence, and results and performances will do that.”

Chadwick doesn’t believe wholesale changes are necessary at Fylde, adding: “At times like this it’s easy to jump on the bandwagon, criticise and say everything’s wrong but it’s not.

“There’s a lot that’s right but we have to get a result on Saturday and we’ll be working hard to do so.

“There’s no point us being negative. We all have to roll our sleeves up and stay as positive as possible.”

That Michael Duckworth run for the 2nd 🤩#YCFC 🔴🔵 pic.twitter.com/Gxcj68HqC2

— York City FC (@YorkCityFC) March 2, 2022

Nick Chadwick’s playing career:

2001–2005 – Everton – 14 games (3 goals)
2003 → Derby County (loan) – 6 games (0 goals)
2003–2004 → Millwall (loan) – 15 games (4 goals)
2005–2008 – Plymouth Argyle – 77 games (10 goals)
2008–2009 – Hereford United – 10 games (1 goal)
2009 – Shrewsbury Town – 15 games (2 goals)
2009–2010 – Chester City
2010–2011 – Barrow – 35 games (11 goals)
2011–2012 – Stockport County – 19 games (7 goals)
2011–2012 → Plymouth Argyle (loan) – 6 games (3 goals)
2012–2014 – Plymouth Argyle – 44 games (3 goals)
2013–2014 → Tamworth (loan) – 8 games (3 goals)
2014 – Tamworth – 21 games (5 goals)
Total – 270 games (52 goals)

Andy Taylor’s playing career:

2004–2008 – Blackburn Rovers
2006 → Queens Park Rangers (loan) – 3 games (0 goals)
2006 → Blackpool (loan) – 3 games (0 goals)
2006 → Crewe Alexandra (loan) – 4 games (0 goals)
2007 → Huddersfield Town (loan) – 8 games (0 goals)
2007–2008 → Tranmere Rovers (loan) – 10 games (1 goal)
2008–2009 – Tranmere Rovers – 59 games (2 goals)
2009–2012 – Sheffield United – 39 games (0 goals)
2012–2016 – Walsall – 140 games (4 goals)
2016–2018 – Blackpool – 45 games (2 goals)
2018–2019 – Oldham Athletic – 15 games (0 goals)
2019–2020 – AFC Fylde – 13 games (1 goal)

National team
2002 – England U16 – 4 games (0 goals)
2002–2003 – England U17 – 6 games (0 goals)
2004 – England U18 – 3 games (0 goals)
2004–2005 – England U19 – 10 games (0 goals)
2005 – England U20 – 1 game (0 goals)

Twitter reacted with AFC Fylde choosing to appoint two experienced EFL players as interim managers following the latest sacking…

@StevieT33: 2022

@Dan_Smith_esq: A couple of weeks late, but, the right decision. Seemed like a really nice guy, all the best Jim

@Couchers12: My sentiments exactly. We now need a manager with the footballing brain to really read the opposition and get us playing the right way to win games. He needs to stand up to the Board when it comes to football matters, and the Board need to give him the necessary room to manage.

@JordanDodd05: Seems like the minority of negative fans have got there wish. Again. All the best Jim

@nickharding2701: No surprise

@RochdaleFan: How’s Bottomley feeling? He’s not crying is he? He has a reputation of it.

@MattyClarkson1: Any chance the next gaffer can get 2022 off the shirts please 😘

@red___square: James Rowe….

@FyldeCal: I would have given him until the end of the season as we are safely in the playoffs but at the end of the day football is a results business and we weren’t getting those. All the best Jim! ❤️

@samkrowlett: Chuck some more money at it!

@JoeDavis6: Really disappointed to read this. What a class act. Built a brilliant culture and environment in-house, which I was fortunate to experience, and was extremely unlucky last season to have potential promotion snatched away due to a ridiculous decision to null and void the league.

@realguysmith: Seems a panicked, ill timed decision to me. Fylde are safely in the play off places and any change in management could easily have waited until the end of the season.

 

Well hello sweet northern club pic.twitter.com/SuwFaFMJpp

— Jonathan Lobb (@JonathanLobb) March 4, 2022