Tommy shares the ambition as he looks to deliver for Steelmen

Tommy Wright has returned for a second spell as manager of Corby Town

Wright returned to Steel Park this week as the Steelmen’s new manager to lead them into the next Southern League Division One Central campaign.

Wright memorably led Corby to the Southern League Premier Division title in his first full season in charge in 2015 when promotion was clinched with a dramatic 3-2 victory at rivals Poole Town on the final day of the campaign.

A season of struggle followed as Corby were relegated from the National League North and Wright then left the club after 12 games of the 2016-17 season, which also ended in relegation from the Northern Premier League Premier Division.

Tommy Wright led Corby to their memorable Southern League title success in his first full season as manager of the club in 2015

The Steelmen have been toiling in Step 4 ever since and just missed out on promotion when they were beaten in last year’s play-off final at Bromsgrove Sporting while their hopes for last season were dashed as they campaign was declared null and void due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

But majority shareholder Paul Glass has made no secret of their desire to have another go at promotion next season.

And the returning Wright said: “If that wasn’t the aim then I don’t think I would have been interested in taking the job on again. It’s a mutual feeling for us all to aim for promotion.

“They just missed out in the play-offs last year and then who knows what would have been this year? It could have ended up in promotion but, unfortunately, we will never know.

“It’s a good squad, which just needs freshening up a little bit. It’s a well run club and there is a good set of lads already there.

“It’s exciting for me and it’s clear to the players. They will know what is expected of them.

“There is no doubt from me because the ambition is there and I feel like I can put a team together to deliver it.

“Hopefully I can offer the current squad something a little bit different and hopefully, in 12 months time or whenever the next season finishes, we will have something to celebrate.”

Wright, meanwhile, is hoping the club’s fans will remember the good times rather than the bad from his first spell.

Having delivered promotion, tough times soon followed before his unceremonious exit.

And he conceded that unbelievable title-winning campaign probably happened too quickly for everyone concerned.

“I hadn’t spoken to anyone from the club for two years but then I’d been keeping in touch and it got put to me and the interest was there because I always look at the success part of being at Corby rather than the way it ended,” he added.

“I feel like I have unfinished business there and I hope the fans will remember the good times rather than the bad and I think the bad were down to us all, not just myself.

“When we went up, we had a very good team but when you lose big players like we did it always makes it hard and the season in the National League North almost spiralled out of control.

“I think it’s fair to say that it all happened a bit too soon for all of us.

“I was young and inexperienced as a manager but I learned a lot and I think that’s what I can take from that year to 18 months.

“I certainly feel I am a better manager now than I was when I won the Southern League in my first season on my own.”