Samuel feels ‘motivated’ new manager Leese can help move Poppies forward

Club stalwart and president Samuel was tasked with leading the search for the next Poppies boss on behalf of the club’s new management committee after Lee Glover left the club on May 28.

And, within the space of 10 days, following what sounded like a short but rigorous search, Kettering got their man.

Leese certainly ticks the box of experience, particularly at Step 3 where Kettering now find themselves after relegation from the Vanarama National League North last season, with Leese having spent the past six years at Enfield Town in the Isthmian League Premier Division.

Before that, he had 11 season at the helm at Chesham United where he led them to one promotion and multiple play-off finishes.

And Samuel said: “I think we have found ourselves a manager who has skills, competencies, contacts and motivation to, firstly, stabilise the club and, secondly, to move us forward.

“Time will tell and we all look at what happens on the field at the end of the day.

“But I am confident that we will have a good team at the start of the season and it may have to be added to as we go along because we are going to be late into the process of recruiting players.

“But when you have someone with this amount of experience, ability and motivation it’s a key factor.

“I think you will find that Andy will integrate himself into the club.

“He will bind us together, I think the players will have great respect for him and, in his own words, he feels he has a project left in him.

“He’s looking forward to the challenge and I think that sold it to us.”

Samuel was able to give a bit of insight into what was clearly an intense recruitment process to find a new manager.

The club president admitted some of their targets “fell by the wayside” as they spoke to over 40 potential applicants before drawing up a shortlist and finally landing on Leese.

“It’s been a long process in a short period of time,” he said.

“We had to draw up a list of people that we might be interested in to see if they would be interested and also put out the advert for people to apply.

“In total, I think we had contact with 42 applicants and when you have to go through that and come up with a shortlist, it’s not an easy job.

“Some of our targets fell by the wayside for one reason or another and we came up with four names and managed to get them all to come for interviews last Sunday, which was just a week after the previous manager left.

“So to do all that and make the appointment this week has probably taken its toll on a few people.

“But we have got there and, hopefully, we have made a very good decision and we have someone who will come into the club and buy into the culture.

“We are more of a community club, we are being run for the benefit of the fans as much as anything and we want the fans to come and support the new manager and the management team that is running the club.

“If we can all work together, then hopefully we can have a good season.”