Flynn and bare it

As reported in the Evening Press this week, Swansea's Brian Flynn was awarded the coveted prize after guiding the Welsh outfit to the top of the table.

Flynn has certainly done a good job at the Vetch Field, ushering the club to safety last season when relegation out of the Football League looked a near certainty.

To take Swansea from bottom to top in such a short space of time certainly deserves praise. Scoring 15 goals in just five games isn't bad neither.

However, the fact remains it is only goal difference that separates York City from pole position in Division Three.

And while Swansea have been scoring goals for fun they have also been leaking them with gusto too.

Casting minds back to the start of the season and which manager was under the most pressure and scrutiny?

Given Swansea's brush with relegation last season, a solid rather than spectacular start was probably all that was being expected at the Vetch.

As the youngest manager in the English football, all eyes were on Chris Brass and those who had been so quick to predict a relegation battle were probably willing him to fail.

In such circumstances, I can't help thinking Brass's achievements in September are just that bit greater than Flynn's and he should have merited the award.

That the League Managers' Association, whose chief, John Barnwell, very publicly criticised the appointment of Brass, was on the voting panel serves only to heighten the sense of disappointment.

It must be hoped that Barnwell's outburst did not influence the decision, but there would certainly have been a few red faces at the LMA had Brass picked up the award at the first time of asking.

As for the man himself, Brass was his usual pragmatic self.

"The people who are top of the division have won the awards, and rightly so," said the City player boss.

"It would have been nice to have received it but I'm more than happy to finish August joint top of the league."

IT'S a funny old game. Just five games into his managerial career and Brass is joint top of the Division Three table with praise ringing in his ears.

In sharp contrast, just five games after taking up the reins at non-League Spennymoor United and Alex Mathie has seemingly decided football management is not for him and has quit his post at Brewery Field.

When City announced in May they would be appointing a player-manager in the wake of Terry Dolan's redundancy, Mathie was many of the bookies' favourites for the post, if only because of his age and experience.

Certainly, few, if any, pundits expected Brass to be appointed.

It was a gamble by the City board but a brave one and while it is still the earliest of days it has since proved to be something of a masterstroke.

Praise must go to Brass himself, of course, but praise too for those who saw his potential and were bold enough to give him his chance.

COINCIDENTALLY, sticking the boot into Mathie last Saturday was Bootham Crescent legend Jon McCarthy.

The one time Northern Ireland international is now plying his trade in the UniBond League with Hucknall Town.

It was Hucknall's 3-1 victory over Spennymoor last Saturday that brought about Mathie's resignation and it was McCarthy, released by Carlisle United last season, who scored Town's opening goal in the match.

ANOTHER manager saying his farewells was Carlisle United's Roddy Collins.

An abrasive character on the sidelines, Collins, an LDV Vans Trophy final appearance aside, rarely came close to ending the Cumbrians' yearly battles against the drop.

But my perceptions of Collins changed significantly in the wake of City's 2-1 opening day win over Carlisle.

The Irishman was under tremendous pressure to get Carlisle's season off to a good start and must have been crestfallen in defeat.

However, as he made his way up to the back of the main stand at Brunton Park to conduct a radio interview Collins made a special point of coming over to Chris Brass, slapping him on the back, shaking his hand and offering his congratulations on making a winning start to his managerial career.

Furthermore, I understand Collins even offered to back Brass in his appeal to the Football Association against the red card he received in the game.

Unfortunately for City, Collins was never called as a witness by the FA but it was still a fine gesture from a decent man.

THE collection buckets that were being dusted off in aid of the supporters' trust at Notts County today as City tackled Rochdale at Bootham Crescent will be putting in another appearance later this month.

The Friends of Bootham Crescent were out in force today in a show of solidarity for County as the oldest club in the Football League teeters on the brink of extinction.

But FOBC have not forgotten their brethren across the Pennines where the future of Oldham Athletic is also in serious jeopardy.

A collection in aid of the Latics will be staged at City's next home game, against Darlington, on September 16.

YORK City supporters are being asked not to leave their vehicles in the York District Hospital car park on match days.

Hospital officials have complained to the club about fans using the car park, which they say is for the benefit of patients, their visitors and staff.

The club is now asking fans to find an alternative place to park their cars.

JUST in case he ever doubted it, City goalkeeper Mark Ovendale must now know for certain he made the right decision in joining the Minstermen.

Ovendale signed for Welsh League outfit Barry Town at the start of the summer after a proposed move to Bootham Crescent appeared to have fallen through.

However, when Marlon Beresford failed his medical Ovendale was offered another chance with City.

News emerged from Wales this week that a new consortium which has taken over a cash-strapped Town has sacked the players and manager Kenny Brown. The players and Brown are now seeking legal advice after not being paid for three months.

Updated: 11:09 Saturday, September 06, 2003