Former Port Vale, York City, Wrexham FC and Hereford United manager Martin Foyle has been sacked by Southport ahead of the massive 6-pointer against the Imps on Tuesday. The question is will Luton Town cast-off Gary Brabin (massively backed compared to John Still who actually succeeded) get the job in time to have any influence as the Sandgrounders attempt to lift themselves out of the bottom four with a home win over the Imps? We have already faced new manager syndrome at Nuneaton who got everything going including two goals that would try the belief and patience of a saint.
Thanks as ever for reading Neil Gentleman-Hobbs
Port Vale gave Martin Foyle his first managerial job a decade ago but despite his reputation as a coach who can work within a restricted budget he has not had a lot of luck at any of his clubs as the table below shows. He did get York City to the play-off final in 2009/10 (beaten by Oxford) as well as the FA Cup third round. The following season saw the Minstermen drop to 15th and part company with him. Northwich Victoria took a chance and he guided them to the runners up spot in the NPL before financial issues robbed him and them of promotion. The Hereford gig was just another financial train wreck although he did get them into play-off contention as well as developing Sam Clucas into a wideman goal machine who went on to fetch some decent money. Alas it was swallowed by the black hole.
Team
Start
End
Record
G
W
D
L
Win %
Port Vale
13 February 2004
26 September 2007
184
68
34
82
36.96
Wrexham (caretaker)
27 September 2008
2 October 2008
1
0
1
0
0.00
York City
24 November 2008
24 September 2010
102
44
30
28
43.14
Northwich Victoria
27 February 2012
9 May 2012
14
8
2
4
57.14
Hereford United
30 May 2012
19 March 2014
93
33
26
34
35.48
Southport
4 May 2014
5 October 2014
14
3
2
9
21.43
Total
408
156
95
157
38.24
Really Lincoln could have done with Foyle getting another game to turn things around, but the 2-5 home defeat to Woking appeared to be the last straw. Gary Brabin is the firm favourite having played for the club a couple of years ago. He has been linked with the managers job on the last two occasions. Has he been waiting for the right job since Luton sacked him in 2012? Brabin won 46% of his games at Luton (Games 62 W 29 D 22 L 11), although it was the skill of John Still (on a reduced budget) that finally led Luton back to the promised land. Thing is with our luck he will turn up get a loan in and, that last minute signing will put a cross-come-shot into the top corner. Well it happened Saturday!
