Peters: Corby offer came out of the blue

Mark Peters (right), pictured during his previous stint at Corby Town as assistant-manager, is back at Steel Park

There was a surprising turn of events at Steel Park last night (Thursday) as the club revealed Ashley Robinson had left his role as joint-manager ‘by mutual consent’ while fellow joint-boss Gary Mulligan would be staying on at the club in a playing role.

Corby then followed that up by revealing Peters had agreed to take over as manager, initially until the end of the current campaign.

The change was made with the Steelmen currently on a run of just one win from the last six matches, which has dented their title hopes in the BetVictor Southern League Division One Central, although they look well set to claim at least a play-off place.

Peters had previously been at Steel Park as assistant-manager alongside Chris Plummer before having a temporary spell as manager following Plummer’s resignation in 2013.

But he admitted he was taken by surprise when the call came this week.

“It was absolutely all out of the blue,” the new Steelmen boss said.

“I do keep an eye on all local football and what has been decided here is nothing to do with me.

“Obviously, I am a supporter of the club because I have done a lot there in the past and I got the phone call and was given a rundown of what was happening.

“And I was asked if I wanted to potentially take over until the end of the season.

“It’s a club that is in a good place so it’s a good opportunity.

“Generally, if you are coming into a job as a manager it is because the club might be bottom of the league or something like that.

“I am led to believe the team hasn’t been performing as well as it had been and a decision has been made and my job is to try to get the best out of the players between now and the end of the season.”

Peters’ first game in charge is scheduled to be at Kempston Rovers tomorrow (Saturday), although the weather could play a part in whether that actually happens or not.

Nonetheless, the new Steelmen boss is preparing for every eventuality.

“You have got to prepare for both scenarios,” he added.

“I can’t predict what the weather is going to do down in Kempston.

“As we speak, I am preparing for both outcomes and hopefully the players’ mentality is that the game will be on and if it’s called off then so be it, we can’t control that and it’s out of our hands.”