Ronnie Moore hasn’t applied for the managerial vacancy at Chester FC but the man emerging as the fans’ choice would be open to taking on the role.
Moore, out of work since leaving Hartlepool United in February, has an impressive track record in his 20 years in management, including two spells with both Rotherham United and Tranmere Rovers.
The 63-year-old hasn’t managed outside the Football League since 1996 when he cut his teeth with Southport but told The Chronicle he would consider returning to non-league circles with the Blues, a club he holds in high regard.
Moore said: “I’ve not applied for the job and I’ve not submitted my CV but it was something that was mentioned to me because a few supporters had linked me and I’ve always been up for a challenge so never say never.
“It’s a good club and one with fantastic support and if someone goes in there and gets it right then I think it’s a club that it is a bit of a sleeping giant.
“It’s run by the supporters and obviously they will only want the best for the club so I think it depends on what they want from a manager. Do they want someone who has been in the non-league game for a while or do they want someone with the experience of the Football League to try and move them on?
Read: Where will the Blues next boss come from?
“I haven’t got an agent who will go banging on doors for me but if someone from the club wanted to pick up the phone then I’d be happy to talk to them.
“My garden looks like Wembley at the moment so I don’t want to be doing too much more of that and the wife has been teaching me how to use the dishwasher and the washing machine.
“You get to the point where you’re ready for the next challenge and I’m sure the Mrs will be all for it to get me from under her feet.”
Liverpool-born Moore lives in South Yorkshire but having spent a large part of his managerial career in the north west, travel would not be an issue for him and he believes his experience would be a good fit with Chester’s ideals as a community club.
“I know the community side and the youth section is a big thing for Chester,” he said.
“I introduced that at Tranmere and at Hartlepool we had the players going into schools in the week coaching children.”
Moore had been considering attending Chester’s game against Welling United this weekend but said he’d had second thoughs as did not want his presence to detract from the team’s fight for survival under Jon McCarthy and Ian Sharps.
“I don’t want it to be about Ronnie Moore because the two lads there have got a huge job on their hands,” said Moore, who could attend next week’s game at Grimsby Town instead.
“It’s a massive game for the club on Saturday because the two games after that, Grimsby and Gateshead, aren’t ones you would pick if you had a choice.
“The National League is a tough division and I don’t think there’s much difference between that and League Two. We played Cheltenham in the FA Cup at Hartlepool earlier this season and although we won 1-0 we were very lucky.
“I’ve always been very grateful to Charlie Clapham for giving me my chance at Southport even though I was only there for about six months before Rotheram came in and I wasn’t going to turn them down.
“Non-league football has changed a lot since then though. I remember one of the first training sessions I took and we had the lads doing some running and one was trailing miles behind. I went over and asked him what was going on and he said ‘I’ve been up a ladder all day gaffer’ and that’s how it was then.
“But there are a lot of full-time teams in there now and there’s really only Braintree out of the top teams who aren’t full-time.
“I’m not going to claim to know everything about every team and every player in the National League because I’ve not been involved with it but I’ve watched a few games and it’s come a long way.”
