Player recruitment 'a club effort' says Poppies boss McDonald as Jeche makes instant impact

The Poppies' latest new signing Nathan Jeche has made an instant impact at Latimer Park, scoring his first goal for the club in stoppage time of Saturday's 3-1 Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central win at Needham Market.

Signed from Step 4 outfit Whitstable Town, McDonald was asked who had been behind the signing for the former Queens Park Rangers youngster, and he admitted that director of football Fabian Forde and owner and chairman George Akhtar were the instigators.

But the Poppies boss added that he still had the final say, as it the case with every signing.

Asked who had been behind the signing of striker Jeche, McDonald said: "It was the chairman and director of football, but whoever comes in I have the final say.

"Nath came in, and we had a lot of footage on him as well, and both of them (Akhtar and Forde) were in agreement with me. I said I do want to sign him, and I want him straight away, and they have made it happen.

"It is a team effort, it's a club effort, because I know that as soon as that ball hit the back of the net the chairman and Fabian will have both been thinking 'yep, he's come from us'.

"I think Eddie Panter was another one that the chairman and Fabian made sure got over the line, because that was hard work, he was on contract.

"But we made sure we got him here, and both have scored (against Needham), so it's always going to be a club effort between now and the end of the season."

McDonald was also asked about his chairman and director of football being seen issuing instructions to players from the sidelines at Needham.

Some managers may not welcome such perceived interference, but McDonald shrugged off any sort of issue with that, and insists the club is in very good hands with those at the top.

Asked about the pair getting involved from the stands, the Poppies boss said: "To be fair, I told them my gameplan on Thursday!

"They are passionate, and I have said this before, people have opinions on people and there is hearsay and stuff like that.

"But since I have been at the football club, and I have managed a long time, they have been fantastic.

"They are so passionate, and that passion can sometimes spill over, but it is then about reining everybody back in.

"This is new to them as well, and I have managed in football for longer than they have been a chairman and director of football.

"They are sort of learning from each other, and the future is bright for Kettering Town going forward, because they are so passionate about getting this club into the Conference North. I mean they still think we can win the league!

"We are now geared up and looking forward to playing Redditch and seeing if we can carry on our good home form."

The Poppies will be keeping everything crossed that the weather plays ball this week and the clash with Redditch can go ahead at Latimer Park.

Kettering have not played a home game since beating Royston Town 3-0 way back on December 20.

Quotes courtesy of Peter Short