Since my most recent blog “Rebuild it up with Red and Gold” Banbury United has now confirmed they are looking for a new manager for the 24/25 season. This has allowed me to reflect on the five manager candidates I have identified on who I would like to see take the Managerial position for our club rebuild. Despite having a range of options from experienced candidates to a manager who has already won 2 games with this squad this season, I have selected the bolder move on the list, 28-year-old Aidan Hawtin to become Banbury’s United next manager. You may read this and question my thinking of why you would select a 28-year-old to become manager at a time where the short term could really impact the long term consequences of the club. However, this blog will detail my thoughts alongside providing case studies in various levels of football of why putting your faith in a young manager in their late twenties can pay off.
Aidan Hawtin is a familiar name to a majority of the Banbury Faithful. Hawtin was signed on loan from Oxford United in the 14/15 season making 15 appearances for the club before returning to Oxford United. With Aidan putting on a show on loan, Michael Appleton acknowledged his fine performances and dedication by handing him his debut away at Tranmere Rovers on April 18th, 2015. However, after making his debut for the Yellows the upward trend of his career stalled due to injuries causing him to do the unthinkable for a 21-year-old player by calling it time to retire after damage to both knees. Since retirement, Hawtin has demonstrated resilience in his determination to return to football despite injury setbacks, with a clear focus on becoming a manager.
So far Hawtin has already gained valuable coaching experience at the tender age of 28 as he played a massive part in Banbury United's title title-winning season in the dugout by being the clubs’ fitness coach. In a blog Spencer Reds authored with Aidan Hawtin last year, Hawtin discussed how he expects the players to cover 10km in the games. This was evident watching the side play as Aidan’s fitness regime was a secret to our success at step 3 with 11 points gained from scoring in the 80th minute or onwards changing draws into wins. In addition to the league, we also had two FA Cup qualifying rounds which saw last-minute goals, firstly Sam Brown against Nantwich Town and then Ethan Johnson away at Basford, sending us on our way to FA Cup glory of experiencing the magic of the first round on ITV4. These results here are a testimony to Aidan’s success as has conditioned players to be able to go till the final whistle resulting in fans experiencing limbs on the terraces with so many last-minute winners.
Not only was this season a success for Aidan’s contributions but it was also a success as he gained significant experience from another upcoming young manager Andy Whing. Over the two seasons, Aidan worked alongside a manager who offered a brand of attractive football, built a connection with a fanbase as well as installed success and professionalism in the club. This exposure to management allowed a rich learning experience that can’t be coached or bought as Hawtin was a part of the success firsthand exposing him to understand what it takes to be in the managerial hot seat at only 26 years of age. Despite Andy Whing leaving less than 12 Months ago, only Jack Harding and Craig Hewitt remain from the whingy era causing the continuity to be virtually zilch. Bringing Hawtin in as gaffer can offer the continuity of bringing back what success looked like then and transferring it into the new era with his stamp on the club to write his own success story.
Speaking about connection, currently the club is feeling very bruised and sore due to experiencing no win since January 30th plus providing similaraties to a revolving door as 47 different players have been used this season. This has caused fans to have felt a strained relationship with the team which has been proved with the average home attendance dropping by 32% from last season’s averages albeit it is important to acknowledge the Tuesday night games are also a factor within that too. With this in mind, the next Manager who comes in must provide an instant morale boost and someone the fans can quickly build a positive foundation with. Aidan Hawtin can provide just that as he understands the club inside and out, as he has seen the club in stark contrasts scoring in front of 232 fans against Cambridge City in 2015 to celebrating a league title win in front of 1835 fans. Furthermore, it is not only the connection with the fans that he can enhance but also on the playing side. It is evident Hawtin is well respected as a coach despite his young age as previous players/staff has plauded his work, Jack Stevens quoted “The best in the business”, Rory Shadbolt explains he is a pleasure to work with and lastly the experienced Kelvin Langmead expressed “(He) Works his arse off and always make sure the boys are taken care off.”
Following his departure from Banbury at the end of last season, he has expanded his experience in the football world. Initially, Hawtin joined Step 4 Kidlington, where he spent the first two months of the season with the Greens before receiving a full-time position at Northampton Town Academy. This highlights that Aidan Hawtin is developing tactically in a range of experiences thus broadening his managerial skillset. At the age of 28, his CV is already extensive, boasting not only a range of experiences but also a UEFA B license, with the ongoing pursuit of a UEFA A License. This exemplifies Aidan’s growth mindset, as he is not content to rest on his laurels as he continually seeks further development to ensure he re-enters into the full-time game. The club should fully embrace this opportunity, as a young, ambitious manager eager to prove himself and develop can drive growth within Banbury United thus creating an impact on and off the pitch.
Despite all the experiences and impact Hawtin has already made in the game, I understand why people would believe it is a bold move to employ someone in their late twenties. However, employing a young manager is not naive for any club anymore as it has been proven countless times that it can be marked with success. To further back up my argument of why I feel Aidan Hawtin should be a likely candidate to take over the reins next season I have explored various of young managers who have made an impact in the game across all levels of football and how their success could also relate to Aidan.
Bernard Morley & Anthony Johnson (Radcliffe FC)
A household name in the Non-league manager's world as they starred in the class of 92 Salford documentary. But Johnson and Morley have not only enjoyed success at Salford but across various other clubs, starting their managerial career with Ramsbottom United at the age of 25 years old. They achieved back-to-back promotions in six years with the Rams - taking them to their highest-ever finishing position in the Northern Premier League.
Jonno outlined his vision straightaway as he quoted to Richard Isaac the reporter of Ramsbottom United “My way of thinking when I took over was – I wanted us to be bigger than Clitheroe, than Radcliffe, than Bamber Bridge. What is our next target? We wanted to progress, and that is we, not just me. I was always looking to get beyond someone else because if we were happy to be where we were, there was no point in doing it. This statement from Johno made me reflect on how I ended my Piece with Aidan Hawtin last year as the aspiring gaffer explained how he wanted to return to the full-time game and quoted “Hopefully we’ll be full tie soon anyways.” This underlines that Aidan has a growth mindset and could show if he was to get the job he would see this as a project to grow the club rather than just accept it’s only a part-time club like an older manager like Tim Flowers has shown with Bromsgrove, Gloucester and Stratford.
Callum McIntyre (Chester FC)
Mcintyre took over Chester in May 2022 at 28 years of age where they just previously finished 16th in the NLN. McIntyre guided Chester to third place leading him to be named NLN Manager of the Season for 2022/23 – as his side went 21 matches unbeaten away and had the best defensive record in the league. Not only did he bring success on the pitch, but fans hailed how he managed to bring success in by bringing in crowds as Chester fan Pippa Day explained to Chester Live “Definitely feels like Calum has given the club strong roots. This season has seen a huge increase in match attendance, especially with younger fans. It’s great to see. As a fan-owned club, Chester needs a manager with true blue blood, Calum. Can’t wait for next season.".
This can correlate to Aidan Hawtin as he has developed a strong connection with the club and the fans which could see a positive impact on attendances and the wider community.
Rhys McCabe (Airdrieonians FC)
This example moves away from the non-league scene as we cross the borders into Scotland. Eyebrows were raised when Rhys became Airdrieonians manager at the age of 29 in the summer of 2022. However, he has more than proved any doubters wrong. He won promotion in his first season in charge to take the club back to the second tier of Scottish football for the first time in over twenty years. He has also adopted a possession-based, attacking style of play and has put his trust in nurturing young talent which has made his job even more impressive. With Aidan being a part of a young Banbury team and currently working at Northampton Town Academy this could provide a similar model as to what Aidan may look to do by nurturing young talents and with the emergence of Lewis Middleton Aidan could look to continually put his trust in the local 17-year-old.
Will Still (Reims)
The Manager who learnt his tactical knowledge through Football Manager rose to stardom in the back end of 2022. Will Still became the youngest manager across the top 5 leagues at the age of 30 after he was appointed after a successful caretaker stint. However, Reims was fined £25000 per game due to this managerial appointment as he did not possess a UEFA Pro Licence. Yet Reims did not care as they put their faith in the young manager and were rewarded with a fine unbeaten run He started his tenure as head coach at Reims with a 17-game unbeaten run in the league setting a new Ligue 1 record. This shows a younger manager can engineer pressure and have the ability to create a successful culture in a club despite not having a long playing career or a long managerial career.
Julian Naglesmann (Germany)
This one I have included is a good example as it shows in the highest level of the game a young manager in their 20s could pay off. Julian Naglesmann took over the reins of Hoffenheim. At the time of his appointment, Julian became the youngest manager in Bundesliga history at the age of 28 but this did not phase the young coach. Naglesmann took a team from 17th place destined for relegation to a team that qualified for the Champions League in just one season showcasing that the younger managers offer a risky but high-end reward move.
This can relate to our situation at Banbury United as currently we are on a downward trajectory following our relegation and winless since January so therefore having a young manager come into the club and take it by the horns to drag us out into success is exactly what we should be looking for.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the decision to appoint a young manager like Aidan Hawtin may seem bold, but it is rooted in a strategic vision for Banbury United's future. Despite his age, Hawtin's demonstrated resilience, coaching experience, and connection to the club make him a promising candidate for the managerial position. Moreover, examples from other clubs across various levels of football show that young managers can bring success and inject fresh energy into a team. I feel the potential for success under young leadership is evident in contrast by going with someone who is vastly experienced but out of touch with the game with tactics such as a manager like Tim Flowers who has just been sacked from Bromsgrove and Gloucester this season. With Hawtin's growth mindset and familiarity with the club, his appointment could be the catalyst for Banbury United's revival on and off the pitch, ushering in a new era of success and connection with fans.
I hope you have enjoyed this blog. Let me know your thoughts on this potential candidate and is there a standout candidate for you? As always to help get this blog the exposure to a wider audience of Banbury Fans or just non-league fans in general any Retweets/quote tweets, shares, likes, Comments are Much appreciated. WE ARE UNITED.
Thank you for reading.
UTP
Spencer Reds.
❤️💛