Cox, Lavery or McDonald?? - Who will it be

It's been just over a week since Simon Hollyhead resigned as manager of Kettering Town and the race to replace him is now down to three names with all three in attendance at Latimer Park on Saturday watching on as The Poppies took on Needham Market. 

Here is a look at the three managers in the running

Paul Cox - A former Poppies player and manager who in his playing days with the club was a tough, no nonsense centre-back who made over 100 appearances in a Kettering Town shirt. He returned to the club In November 2019 following the sacking of Nicky Eaden and with The Poppies sitting bottom of the National League North. Cox kept The Poppies up and within two years had turned Kettering into relegation battlers to play-off contenders. 

Talks of five year plans as well as turning down an approach from AFC Telford United had many thinking Cox could be the man to take The Poppies back to the National League. But In January 2022 Cox called it a day at Latimer Park and re-signed to take over at league rivals Boston United, something that many Poppies fans still have not forgiven. Cox only lasted seven months In The Boston hot seat before he was sacked.

He has not managed since and seems the least favourite choice with Supporters.

Richard Lavery - Another former manager in the frame for a return to the Poppies is Richard Lavery. Lavery resigned as Poppies boss in May 2025 with many believing his reason for doing so was having to deal with interference from the clubs Director of Football Fabian Forde  

Lavery was assistant manager to Marcus Law in The Poppies Southern League title winning season of 2018/19 and returned as manager in February 2024 with Kettering staring a second consecutive relegation in the face. Lavery steered the club well away from the relegation zone and to comfortable safety.

In the Summer of 2024 new owners arrived and Lavery was backed well in putting together an excellent squad. A fantastic first half of the season saw a fantastic run to the second round of the FA Cup, beating Northampton Town along the way and a firm lead at the top of the Southern League Premier Division table.

But the second half of the season saw some questionable squad changes, below par performances and whispers of unrest between the management and The director of football and the healthy lead at the top of the table fell away and it was Bedford Town that won the title. Kettering were left to take part in  the play-offs where defeat came in the final against AFC Telford United.

A return for Lavery is mixed with fans. Some would love him back and think he should never have been allowed to leave. Others think with the squad and the resources he had at his disposal the season was a failure and would not see him back. My major worry would be If (and everything points to it being the reason) Lavery left because he could not work with The Director of Football he is still at the football club and doesn't look like he is going to leave. So could Lavery now do now what he could not five months ago and work with him? 

Liam McDonald - Another one with previous links to The Poppies but unlike Cox and Lavery he has never managed the club. He played 19 times for Kettering in the 2010/11 Conference Premier season under Marcus Law at Rockingham Road.

As a manager McDonald has a lot of experience at this level and above. He has managed Redditch United, Hednesford Town, Rushall Olympic and Stourbridge at step 3 and Solihull Moors at step 2.

He reached the play-offs as Redditch manager and won promotion from this division in 2023 through the play-offs with Rushall. He left Stourbridge in May 2025 resigning due to stadium and financial uncertainty at the club.

All three managers will have seen that they have a lot to do as they watch The Poppies put in a poor performance as they slipped to defeat to Needham Market at Latimer Park. The side is clearly lacking firepower and confidence. 

Myself If I had the choice I would go for McDonald. Paul Cox hasn't had any managerial experience since he left Boston United in 2022. In regards to Lavery, I just can't see how five months ago he could not work with the Director of Football but now he could. Add to that I'm a firm believer that things very rarely work out for managers second time round at a club would be why Liam McDonald would be my job.

But it's over now to George to decide who he wants to take the team forward, By the middle of next week the new man should be in place