Davenport rolls his sleeves up

By Pete Oliver

I would not have left Colwyn Bay for another part-time club Peter Davenport

New Southport manager Peter Davenport holds a CV boasting an England cap, a Wembley FA Cup final appearance and a club career that took in spells with Manchester United, Nottingham Forest, Middlesbrough and Sunderland.

But for now, the 45-year-old is looking no higher than 20th place in the Conference.

Avoiding relegation would represent a successful start to Davenport's reign following his appointment at Haig Avenue.

"We are aiming to finish five from the bottom and then the club can kick on from there. Otherwise it would be a major set-back to the club's ambitions," he told BBC Sport.

Port turned to Davenport after calling time on Paul Cook's six-month spell in charge, which ended at the start of the month with the Sandgrounders at the bottom of the table.

Having taken the decision last summer to go full-time for the first time since dropping out of the Football League in 1978, Southport had hoped for better.

There is a lot of talent at Stockport but they just need a bit of guidance Peter Davenport

It was never an easy job for Cook as he tried to rapidly assemble a squad of full-time players on a limited budget.

But the teething problems, which also included establishing a permanent training base, did not deter Davenport when the chance came to return to a club where he had played a decade ago.

"It's a fantastic opportunity," he said. "Southport is the premier team outside the Football League in the north west. It has the pedigree, a track record and a cracking set-up.

"The full-time aspect appealed to me. I would not have left Colwyn Bay for another part-time club.

"I want full-time football. I was keen to get back in and I am hungry to do well.

"I was fortunate to play for Southport before and I had a good rapport with the supporters then. We used to have a bit of banter and we need them to get behind us now, because together we can do it."

In Davenport's playing days for the club, Southport were a top-six side. Since then they have been down to Conference North and back and the Conference top-flight has become almost totally professional.

Yet Davenport takes encouragement from the past. "It shows it can be done," he said.

Davenport will also dip into his personal history in his bid to make Southport a successful long-term project, having learned his trade across the management spectrum.

"When I left Southport I was fortunate that I fell on my feet at Macclesfield, which was a club on the up," he added.

Davenport played for Man Utd from 1986 to 1988

"We won the Conference and then got promoted again and from being a player I became player-coach, first-team coach, assistant manager and then manager, which was great for my professional development."

After a year in charge at Macclesfield, which saw the side remain in a mid-table position in League Two, Davenport had four years as manager of League of Wales side Bangor City.

In three of those seasons he led the part-time club into European competition.

"It was a great experience where I learned a lot about man-management and looking after players and getting to know them," he said.

After a year out of the game a six-month stint followed with Colwyn Bay in the Unibond League which ended by swapping a promotion challenge for a fight against the drop.

Davenport does not have time on his side at Southport and with the transfer window closing in less than two weeks he is working hard to bring in three or four new players to strengthen a squad which has won just six times this season.

"There is a lot of talent there but they just need a bit of guidance and a bit of experience. I have got to sort it out," he said.

With four teams going down from the Conference for the first time this season, there is little margin for error for those teams struggling near the bottom.

But there are enough sides within striking distance to make safety a possibility and with five of Southport's next seven games against potential relegation rivals, Davenport has the chance to make an instant impact.

He said: "We have got a lot of games against teams around about us over the next six weeks so if we can pick up a few points it should stand us in good stead for the end of the season.

"I have watched a couple of recent games on video and it is a fine line between winning and not.

"If I can get the balance and just get on the right side of that line we can be all right."