Poppies job was an offer that new boss Richard Lavery could not refuse

​The club made the shock announcement that former Quorn AFC manager Lavery would take over as the new Poppies boss last Saturday morning.

The move was made public just hours before Kettering’s battling 0-0 draw with play-off chasing Leamington.

Lavery replaced Jim Le Masurier, who stepped back to resume his role as assistant manager at Latimer Park.

Le Masurier will be an assistant alongside Tom Cherry, who has made the switch to Kettering from Quorn, along with Lavery.

Lavery and Cherry had enjoyed an excellent period of success with the Leicestershire side.

They took over at Quorn in October, 2021, taking the club from the bottom of step five, to promotion last season.

They have also enjoyed a strong season this time around, and they leave Quorn sitting sixth in the Pitching-In Northern Premier League Midlands Division, just outside the promotion play-off places.

Lavery, who was assistant to Marcus Law when the Poppies won the Southern League Premier Central title back in 2019, now returns to Kettering as the main man.

And he insists it was a job he simply had to take on.

"It has been a bit of a whirlwind few days to be honest," said Lavery, talking to Kettering Town's YouTube channel.

"I was at Quorn and Kettering approached me in the week and asked me if I wanted to take charge.

"I spoke to Jim (Le Masurier) and obviously I can't turn down the offer of coming here.

"I was doing well at Quorn, but when this came up I had to take the offer, and obviously I did."

Lavery was pleased with his new team's performance in the 0-0 draw with a Leamington side that is still in the play-off picture.

But he also admitted there are likely to be some new faces coming into Latimer Park in the coming weeks as the club sets about ensuring they avoid relegation from the Premier Central.

"Me and Jim have spoken over the past couple of days, and I know I can bring in a couple of players to add to this squad," said Lavery.

"The squad is good, but sometimes you need a change. And I know I can add two or three players that will make the squad better. I looked at them on Saturday, and it is a clean slate for me.

"I think the lads have done well, but I know I can change it and bring two or three lads in that will add more quality to the team."

Kettering go to third-placed Mickleover on Saturday, and Lavery is hoping he will see a 'new boss bounce'.

"At any level, when a new manager comes in the players will perform, the same as when Jim took over as interim manager, he got two wins," said the Poppies manager.

"So you do find that, but then they get into a comfort zone and they think 'I'm playing every week'.

"When new faces come in, and two new people come in, it changes all the dimensions doesn't it?"