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Still at helm

28/12/2007

DROYLSDEN chief Dave Pace has insisted he is still the manager at the Butcher’s Arms after a day of rumour and counter-rumour last week.

Having brought in ex-Stalybridge Celtic boss Phil Wilson and Gary Bauress, there were stories that Pace had stepped aside as manager and reverted to his role as chairman.

However, Pace has said that the pair have been brought in purely as replacements for departing duo Wayne Richardson and Steve Mungall.

He said: "Gary is coming in for Wayne and Phil’s doing the same for Steve. To be quite honest, we needed a bit of a shake-up for the January (transfer) window.

"Phil and Gary weren’t in work, so it’s for our mutual benefit but how long it’s going to last, I don’t know.

"Wayne and Steve are fantastic boys. They’ve done a great job but I just thought we needed a bit of a change in certain areas – at the end of the day, the buck stops with me and I need everything I can to get out of the situation we’re in."

With the Bloods down in the Blue Square Premier’s bottom four, Pace is targeting players to help them escape.

As previously reported, central defender Adam Dugdale is on his way while Terry Fearns and Steve Daly have been made available for transfer.

Pace added: "I’m looking for players up front and another centre-half. There’s been initial enquiries about Terry and Steve but nothing concrete.

"Terry wants to try and prove himself, so we’ll wait and see. He did tremendously in the FA Trophy tie and showed that effort and willingness to win.

"I don’t want anyone to go but it’s not about personalities, it’s about performances and the table doesn’t lie."