A fresh start? Club director on new boss, player and staff changes and new CEO

Today they installed club legend Jack Lester as the new first team manager, assisted by Nicky Eaden.

And director Ashley Carson revealed the probability of fresh faces in the squad, in the backroom staff and even in the decision-making process behind the scenes.

The company secretary believes today’s appointment of Lester is the correct decision to rejuvenate a club he says has been ‘imploding.’

“It’s been widely reported that this is the most important managerial appointment in the history of the football club,” he said.

“Having spent several hours now with Jack I’m absolutely confident he’s the right person, not only to get us out of this terrible position but also to help galvanise the fans and instill some excitement back into the club.

“The rot has got to stop somewhere, the club at the moment is just imploding, it’s been destroyed and it’s just so wrong.

“I’ve spoken at great length with Jack about this and he’s hurting as well, immediately he’s seen it and wants to do everything he can to help pull the fans and the club back together.

“We want to get the fans back in the stadium and get a fantastic atmosphere back in here.”

Carson says Lester’s backroom staff has not yet been completed, with new faces - plural - expected to arrive in the next two to three weeks.

“There are a couple of changes within the backroom staff but that’s not through Jack wanting to terminate anyone’s employment, it’s just two situations,” he said.

“He will be changing some further staff, there will be some new faces coming in over the next two or three weeks.”

When asked if Lester would be backed to make changes to his squad in the January transfer window, Carson revealed his thoughts on a squad that he says needs some trimming.

“At the moment the squad is far too big, there will have to be some changes in the transfer window,” he told the Derbyshire Times.

“There will be some players going out, there will almost certainly be some players coming in.

“Jack has identified where the weaknesses are, so he will be supported in the transfer window.”

One man who won’t be involved in any of the squad changes is Guy Branston, the club’s director of recruitment who departed yesterday by mutual consent.

Explaning the former Rotherham United defender’s exit, Carson said: “It’s just a different way a manager works.

“Jack is his own man, he’s already identified players he’s speaking to and doesn’t feel he needs a director of football or recruitment to bring anyone in.

“It was just a job we no longer required anyone for, so it was by mutual consent that Guy went.”

And in another change to the organisation’s structure, a new chief executive will assist Carson with the running of the club.

“I’ve been at the forefront, the sharp end of everything over the last six months and I know where the weaknesses are, I’ve tried to make some changes and believe I have done to improve things but I need someone else in here, more on a day to day, who can help,” he said.

“I’m going to be announcing a new chief executive next week.”