Keeping Poppies up would be one of Cox's biggest achievements

In the past couple of weeks, the Poppies have extended the contract of midfielder Connor Kennedy while also handing a deal until the end of next season to striker Tre Mitford.

It seems, on the face of it, that the planning for the months and years ahead on the pitch is already under way.

Cox has made a big impression since arriving at Latimer Park as he has guided Kettering out of the Vanarama National League North relegation zone and, ahead of the weekend trip to Bradford Park Avenue, they are currently seven points clear of the drop-zone.

It has been a remarkable turnaround and should their status at Step 2 be secured, the club’s fans will be desperate to see Cox stay on to lead them into the next campaign.

But Cox is, for the time being, staying fully focused on the task at hand.

And the former Poppies centre-half insists that should he lead the club to safety, it will go down as one of his biggest achievements in management.

“I have no desire to leave,” the Poppies boss said when asked about his future.

“I am not tied down to the club in any way and they could release me just like that but they have given me an opportunity and I am enjoying my football.

“As a manager, you never know how long you are going to be in a job.

“When you’re doing well, you get linked with bigger clubs at higher levels but I have always been a level-headed lad and I think anyone who knows me will tell you that.

“I think the average stay for a manager at any club now is something like 13 months so it’s not the best job or career to plan accordingly!

“One minute you are a hero and the next you could lose four or five on the bounce and the perception of you changes and that’s why I keep myself level.

“But when I look at what we have done here so far, it probably ranks as one of the best things I have done.

“I have a history with Kettering and I love the passion of the fans so to be given the opportunity to develop this club would be fantastic for me.

“Of course, I have spoken with the chairman (David Mahoney) and the owner (Ritchie Jeune) but, at the moment, everything is focused on finishing off the job this season and making sure the club is in a healthy position to attack next season.

“It’s all about achieving our goals for this season and if we do stay up then it will rank up there as one of the biggest things I have done in management.

“Most people will have said that 14 or 15 games ago we looked dead and buried.

“But there is still a lot of work to do and I can’t afford to let my concentration waiver onto other things and I don’t expect anyone else at the club to do that either. There is nobody bigger than the club.”