AFC Sudbury interim manager Danny Laws does not rule out staying on in the dugout after overseeing escape from Southern League relegation with victory at Bishop’s Stortford
After overseeing their latest escape from relegation Danny Laws has not ruled out staying on in the dugout at AFC Sudbury – but he feels it is the players and not himself who deserve the praise for the turnaround.
When the board decided to relieve Marc Abbott of his managerial duties on March 13, the Yellows’ run of one win in 16 Pitching In Southern League Premier Central games had left them two places and three points from safety.
It saw them turn to head of football Laws as interim manager for their last nine fixtures in a bid to save their Step 3 status.
And after a tricky opening test that ended in a 2-0 defeat at title-chasing AFC Telford United the points began to snowball with five wins and two draws since leaving them second in the form table in his opening eight games.
Saturday’s 0-0 draw at home to play-off chasing Spalding United was followed by what proved, alongside other results, to be their safety-clinching 1-0 victory at Bishop’s Stortford on Monday with a game to spare.
Ryan Henshaw’s low shot, against the club he had gained promotion with, arrived in the 75th minute to start the party for the travelling Yellow army.
And watching the joyous scenes at full-time, Laws was keen the adulation did not fall at his feet.
“The praise lies with the players out on the football pitch, that’s where it’s done and that’s where it’s achieved,” he said.
“They’ve been amazing. Amazing ability. Amazing application. Amazing desire. Amazing togetherness.
“So you put all that in the mix and you’ve got a good chance in you. And that’s basically what’s happened.
“There’s no secret recipe, just desire and application - and you get a bit of luck along the way as well.”
Going into their final fixture, at home to a Harborough Town side on Saturday (3pm) who know matching Stamford’s result would see them hold onto their play-off spot, the elephant in the room is Law’s future.
But for now, he is giving nothing away other than not ruling out the possibility of staying on for next season.
“Like I said at the start, I really have been taking every game as it comes, and that’s what I’m going to continue to do,” he said.
“Look, I’ve enjoyed working with a really good group of players.
“And when the outcome is so important for the football club, yes, I enjoy it, of course I do, otherwise I wouldn’t do it. But it’s very much been outcome driven over the last few weeks, and that’s been achieved, which is great.”
He described maintaining the club’s Step 3 status for a third straight season as ‘really important’ and believes it needs to now be a platform for the club, with community help, to build from.
“The town of Sudbury has got such a rich football tradition,” he said.
“I went to see Sudbury Town playing in the FA Vase Final against Tamworth in 1989 and people associate it as a football town, despite it also having great clubs like the rugby and cricket clubs.
“But the importance for Sudbury to be playing football at this level is only an opportunity for growth.
“And the numbers of supporters we’ve had in the last month or so I think only proves that.
“But it’s got to continue and the community has got to keep backing it and the club has got to find a way to manage itself and sustain football at this level.”
With Harborough rumoured to be bringing supporters in the hundreds to Saturday’s game he is hoping the home support can still make it feel like a home game. And he has a promise for his side’s end of the bargain, despite the pressure now being lifted on the outcome.
He said: “We’ll be doing our utmost to win the football match in front of our home fans for the last game of the season and be the best we can be. We want to encourage our home fans of our football club to come back in their numbers for the 25/26 season.”
