Ex-Claret Yates back in league management
Former Burnley midfielder and coach Mark Yates has returned to the Football League today having left his position at Solihull Moors to become manager of newly promoted Macclesfield Town on a three year contract.
Yates, who was last in the league with Crawley, joined Solihull as manager last November, working alongside former Blackburn and England goalkeeper Tim Flowers. When Yates and Flowers arrived, they were bottom of the National League with 11 points from their first twenty games. He brought about a huge turnaround in their form and they accrued a further 43 points from 26 games to remain in the league some six points above the relegation positions.
Solihull said of today’s news: “It is with regret that Solihull Moors announce the departure of manager Mark Yates who leaves to take over at newly promoted League Two, Macclesfield Town. Moors would like to place on record its appreciation for everything Mark Yates brought to the club and we wish him every success back in the Football League.”
Macc, having won the National League last season, suddenly lost long serving manager John Askey to Shrewsbury and Yates said: “I’m really pleased. It’s happened really quickly but I’m joining a club with momentum and a club that are on the up. Everybody at the football club did a fantastic job last season and I just want to carry that on in a very competitive League Two.
“I’m looking forward to working with the players that are here but also bringing in some new faces too. I’ve been very impressed with the chairman and I’m sure we’re going to work tirelessly to put together a squad that will do well next season.”
Yates’ playing record wasn’t anything to write home about. He was Frank Casper’s last signing as Burnley manager and scored on his debut in a 4-1 win at Doncaster in August 1991. But in two years at Turf Moor he made only 24 appearances of which half were from the subs bench.
He returned as first and reserve team coach when Steve Cotterill was appointed manager and remained with the club until he took his first steps in management at Kidderminster, then a Football League club. He’s since managed Cheltenham, the club with whom he had great success as a player, and then Crawley before moving to Solihull Moors last season.
He’ll get an early opportunity to pit his wits against a former club with Burnley due there for a pre-season friendly on Friday 20th July.
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