The 41-year-old defender has enjoyed a 25-year playing career, the vast majority of it in the Football League. He's played more than 800 games and won three promotions in the EFL.
It's fair to say he's been there, seen it and done it in an extraordinary career that began with home-town club Barnsley and then took in further Football League stops at Tranmere, Huddersfield, MK Dons, Bury and Port Vale.
He briefly dipped his toe into NonLeague with Chorley in Covid times before serving Welsh side Bala Town.
Last summer, aged 40, he pitched up at the Linnets to play under another ex-pro in Billy Paynter. Any thoughts he was there to wind down were dismissed as he notched up 41 appearances for the club in all competitions, chipping in with four goals.
However, it wasn't to be a season with a happy ending as the NPL West runners-up were bounced out of the play-offs at the semi-final stage by fifth-placed City of Liverpool. With stepPaynter ping down in the aftermath, the club turned to Kay to take the reins - and he didn't need much persuading.
"It was pretty simple in my mind," he told The NLP. "I'm getting a bit older now and I've had a manager's head on for quite a while. It's been since I was 31 or 32, so nearly ten years.
"I have had opportunities in academies, but I felt I wanted to be a manager. When this job arose, I thought 'Why not? It's a great opportunity'. Hopefully I can take it with both hands."
It's all a world away from when Kay, then just 17, made his Football League debut for Barnsley in the second tier back in August 2000.
This story is from the June 02, 2024 edition of The Non-League Football Paper.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 02, 2024 edition of The Non-League Football Paper.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
CUT ABOVE THE REST!
ALAN JULIAN is fully on board with Hampton & Richmond Borough's serious message Movember even if he can't stop laughing at his players!
JOE IS SPECIAL GUEST STAR!
YATE TOWN 1 Guest EVESHAM UTD 0
GOAL ACE ROSS HAS PLENTY OF SHELF LIFE
It's 300 up for Allen but Green Lion marches on
TOWN ARE READY TO GO AGAIN!
Witham boss Kimble is eyeing a repeat
DAWS SHUTS DOWN TOWN BUT MAGPIES DRAW AGAIN
DORCHESTER TOWN boss Tom Killick called for unity to help the Magpies shake off their mini slump after a fourth league draw on the spin.
ARCHIE ANSWERS CHURCH PRAYERS IN FLOWERS BOW
TEN-man Alvechurch fought their way to a first league victory since mid-September to kick off the Tim Flowers era with a precious three points.
HORNETS HAVE THE BUZZ FOR VICTORY!
THE CLASH between Wingate & Finchley and Horsham was a tight and fiercely contested affair, with Horsham emerging as narrow victors thanks to a second-half strike.
MACCA'S THE HERO IN 'NICK' OF TIME!
SUBSTITUTE Nick McCoootie grabbed a stoppage-time winner as Weston-superMare battled back from 3-2 down with five minutes left to clinch victory in this top-of-the-table thriller at the Woodspring.
SHOTS LAUD HERO HENRY
FRUSTRATED Phil Parkinson bemoaned the rigours of life on the road as Altrincham were blown away by Storm Bert and a resurgent Aldershot Town in a fruitless tenhour round-trip though the wind and rain.
GRAHAM GIVES UNITED BOUNCE
NEW Boston United manager Graham Coughlan ended the Pilgrims’ 11-match winless run with his first attempt, at the expense of fellow survival fighters Braintree Town.
