REVOLVING DOOR OPEN FOR DEAKIN

IAN DEAKIN wants to make a similar impact at Ilkeston Town as he and his management team did at Long Eaton United

-  Matt Badcock

Deakin has been appointed as Gary Hayward’s replacement at the Pitching In NPL Premier Robins.

Former Hednesford Town boss Hayward, who only took charge from Jamie Ward at the start of August, left by mutual consent following a 3-0 defeat to Mickleover in the FA Cup.

Deakin and his staff – Craig Swiscoe, Adam Campbell and Ben Hutchinson – were available following their shock departure from Long Eaton on the eve of the campaign.

Despite back-to-back promotions to take the club to Step 3 for the first time in its history, the board opted to make a change.

Deakin says that’s in the past now and he’s looking forward to trying to drive Ilkeston forward — a club he won successive promotions with in 2017-18 and 2018-19 as player-assistant.

“The situation at Long Eaton is what it is – a decision was made and you have to abide by it, that’s football,” Deakin, whose first game was against Worksop Town yesterday, told