By Tony Glennon
SACKED Hyde boss Dave Nolan has issued a warning to the Tigers' board as they begin the search for his successor.
Nolan paid the price for his failure to revive the fortunes of the ailing Ewen Fields outfit when, in a move strongly hinted at in last Sunday's Pink, Hyde's directors announced an "amicable parting" with their 34-year-old player/chief almost exactly a year after he was appointed.
Days earlier, Hyde's thumping 7-3 FA Cup victory over Northern League minnows Tow Law had earned Nolan a stay of execution, but Tuesday's 2-0 defeat at Colwyn Bay, which left the troubled Tigers just a point above the rock-bottom Welsh side at the foot of the UniBond premier division, proved to be the final straw.
Nolan, an immensely popular clubman, insists he has no recriminations over his dismissal.
'Need greater backing'
But, in a parting message strangely reminiscent to the one made by his predecessor, Mike McKenzie, he has warned Hyde that they will continue to struggle until they find the means to give their manager greater financial backing.
Said Nolan: "My heart will always be with Hyde United and no way do I want to see them suffer, but I still feel that, unless more money is found for the guy who comes after me, his job will be just as difficult as the one I was faced with.
"It's very, very hard to cut the wage-bill, as I had to, while at the same time attracting players of sufficient quality to drag the team up the table.
"In fact, it's next to impossible, and, while I feel it has at least given me a good grounding in management, it's not a situation to inspire optimism in Hyde's future."
Tigers' chairman Steve Hartley, while accepting Nolan's assertion that Hyde's playing budget is tight, is nevertheless adamant it is "workable".
And, despite Nolan's warning, there will still be plenty of candidates only too willing to accept the challenge of attempting to steer Hyde clear of a second successive relegation battle on the funds available.
Candidates
Ex-Stalybridge boss Paul Futcher, still desperate to prove Hyde's Bower Fold neighbours were wrong to axe him earlier this year, is likely to be one, while the Tigers have also been alerted to the fact that Altrincham's secretary and former coach, Graham Heathcote, might be tempted by the chance to get back into a tracksuit.
The Hyde board say they're looking for someone with previous managerial experience, ruling out the appointment of another player/boss.
But, other than that, they insist they're open-minded and invite telephone applications to either Hartley or director of football, Tony Beard, who has been placed in temporary charge of team affairs as Nolan's assistant, Alan Keeling, has gone with him.
Ideally, Hyde would have liked to have a new manager in place in time for next Saturday's big FA Cup clash at Barrow, but, says Hartley, he and his fellow directors aren't going to rush such a critical decision.