SOCCER: Gary Nunn loves a challenge – so he has decided to carry on as manager of Haughley United.The Metaltec SIL club advertised for a replacement when Nunn made it known he wanted to stand down.

By Elvin King

GARY Nunn loves a challenge – so he has decided to carry on as manager of Haughley United.

The Metaltec SIL club advertised for a replacement when Nunn made it known he wanted to stand down.

Former Eye Games Centre manager Barry Tennens came forward and he will manage the side with Nunn next season.

"Living in the village, at the end of the day I could not walk away," said Nunn. Although he never actually spelled it out, it is obvious he has some unfinished business to which to attend.

"We lost just three times, but still did not win the Senior Division title," he said.

"Champions Walsham-le-Willows are the Wimbledon of the SIL, by-passing their midfield and pumping the ball into the air from the back.

"They did well, but we paid a heavy price for playing them in our first match of the season.

"It was Walsham's third game and we lost 1-0 at their place. We had two 'goals' disallowed and had two one-on-one chances that did not go in.

"Teams who cannot play in August because their grounds are unavailable because of cricket are the ones who should suffer – not us.

"We have no cricket at our ground and could have played from the first day of the season. Yet we were penalised. In our home game we were leading Walsham with ten minutes to go and the draw they managed was enough to win them the league."

Nunn is banking on history repeating itself. When he led Haughley to the title in 1997 it came 12 months after they had finished runners-up.

"We lose Joel Davenport, who is emigrating to Australia, but otherwise everybody is staying," added Nunn. "We had a happy team last season and with a couple of additions we can compete for the title again.

"Walsham and Grundisburgh will again be our main challengers, with Ipswich Athletic and Melton St Audry's being there or thereabouts with one other, possibly Old Newton."

Tennens, who almost led Eye to senior football in the nineties, managed Haughley to the Intermediate A title in 2000/01.

Nunn's 13-year-old son Sam is with the Ipswich Town academy and trains on Tuesday and Thursday nights as well as Saturday mornings.

"He also plays on Sundays, so this takes up a lot of my time, but I shall still be right at the front for Haughley next season," confirmed Nunn, a man with a mission.

DON'T be surprised to see Walsham manager Paul Smith move to Jewson League Diss Town as assistant to new Tangerines boss Robert Fleck. He is likely to receive an offer he will find hard to refuse.