Source: Northern_Echo
New Darlington boss is out to raise spirits and bring back feel good factor
SIMON Davey yesterday arrived at Darlington as the club's third manager of the season and instantly announced an intention to bring the feelgood factor back to the club.[LNB] Along with assistant Ryan Kidd, Davey has a signed a deal at The Northern Echo Arena lasting until the end of next season.[LNB] [LNB] [LNB] That is likely to be in the Blue Square Premier as Quakers are currently bottom of the table and 16 points from safety after what has been a thoroughly miserable year. But the former Barnsley boss intends to change the mood at the club and steer Quakers back into the Football League as soon as possible.[LNB] It's a big job but it's a challenge that I'm up for, said Davey who arrives with ten games to play.[LNB] When you go into any job there's always a task to achieve, whether it is to stay in the division or reach the play-offs, and every job comes with its own pressures.[LNB] If we do go down I'm looking to bounce straight back up and bring the feelgood factor back to the football club.[LNB] This is a fantastic opportunity for me.[LNB] I've worked in the Championship for three years and the situation Darlington are in isn't ideal but it is an opportunity to get the club back into the league.[LNB] We're going through bad times at the moment on the field but hopefully next season people will be looking at us and saying that's the kind of club we need to aspire to be like'.[LNB] It's not going to happen overnight. We've got ten games left which, for myself and Ryan, is a period for us to assess the football club.[LNB] We're at the bottom for a reason, we know that. We aren't going to say we're going to win ten games and keep us in this division. If that was likely we wouldn't be here in the first place.[LNB] This is an opportunity to asses on a daily basis what players do we want to keep for next season.[LNB] The majority of the squad will be free agents in the summer as their contracts expire, so Davey considers the remainder of the season as a trial period.[LNB] He said: Many of the players are out of contract and are looking to extend their deals so this is a time for me to asses.[LNB] There's ten games to go and we'll watch them everyday in training to see if we think they can perform next season.[LNB] A lot of people will think they are relegated already so there's no pressure on them, other than for them to earn a new contract. I have to make sure they play with a smile on their face but work hard.[LNB] Kidd assisted Davey at Barnsley, though they first came into contact during their playing days at Preston, where Kidd spent ten years in the Lilywhites defence.[LNB] He was awarded a testimonial match in 2002 after which he worked in the youth sections at Deepdale and Bury before teaming up again with Davey at Oakwell.[LNB] Davey was full of praise for his number two, saying: We played at Preston and when I took over the Academy there he was my assistant. When I went to Barnsley I brought him in the second day I was in charge as assistant manager and he is a fantastic coach.[LNB] He's very loyal, he works very hard and there'd be nobody better to be my assistant.[LNB] The pair replace Steve Staunton and Kevin Richardson who were sacked almost two weeks ago and become the club's third managerial pairing of a season which began with Colin Todd and Dean Windass in the dug-out.[LNB] The new arrivals represent a different sort of appointment compared to the former Republic of Ireland international Staunton, whose playing career was largely in the top-flight, and he had no managerial experience at club level prior to his arrival at the Arena.[LNB] Davey, however, spent three years in charge at Barnsley and the bulk of his playing days were in the bottom two divisions as a midfielder with Swansea, Carlisle and Preston, while he also had a loan spell with Darlington in 1997.[LNB] He was made manager of Barnsley in November 2006, stepping up from a position with the club's Academy aged just 36. Despite keeping the away from the relegation zone for three consecutive seasons he was sacked last August.[LNB] He said: I was fortunate to get a job in the Championship at the age that I was and I believe we did very well. I don't see that I've got anything to prove as I believe that I'm a good manager, a good coach.[LNB] I believe in my staff and the players will reflect that on a Saturday.[LNB] Some managers hang on and wait for another job but is such a thing as the right role You could wait for years.[LNB] Certain managers will always go to certain clubs and with myself it was about getting back into football and doing what I know best.[LNB] Yes there are a lot of clubs above us in the league but I believe once my worth ethic is instilled in the players then this club can start being successful.[LNB]
