YATES BREWS UP FOR A NEW START

WHEN Mark Yates returned to the dugout with Stourbridge at the end of February, he did so refreshed and with a different outlook.

- MATT BADCOCK

The former Kidderminster Harriers, Cheltenham Town and Solihull Moors boss felt a bit of recharge was just what he needed as well as a different challenge outside of football.

“There are so many managers out there nowadays – when a job becomes available, the number of applicants is staggering,” Yates, who left Kiddy last April following a short second spell at the club that launched his managerial career, says.

“I took time out. We bought a coffee shop and I just felt the break would do me good. I didn’t want to be solely reliant on getting a job in football. I’m a bit older now, I love my football and I’m really enjoying my challenge at Stourbridge. But you’ve got family, kids, and when you’re a manager and there are only so many roles out there, you can be out of work for a period of time. It can be demoralizing.

“Buying the coffee shop, getting stuck into that and a new challenge in my life was just what I needed. Then the perfect thing with the coffee shop and working alongside that was a club like Stourbridge.

“Well-run, stable, I’ve known the chairman Andy Poutney years. It’s a club he wants to take to the next level. They do it properly from the academy through to the first team. They’ve got a great fanbase, a great rapport with their supporters. They’ve had many successes with Gary Hackett over the last ten years.

“It was the perfect opportunity. Bringing in my assistant Neil Howarth, who has been with me a number of times before, we know we work well together. Then bringing in Gavin Hurren, Trigger, who has played at this level for a number of years and knows players have really been great.