Next Manager Options: Three candidates to replace Danny Lennon at Clyde
After five years and 198 matches in charge, Danny Lennon has left his position as manager of Scottish League One club Clyde. In a statement on Monday evening, the Bully Wee announced that they had agreed terms with the 53-year-old to end his tenure at the club with immediate effect. The former St. Mirren gaffer departs the club with the distinction of being their longest-serving manager in 30 years.
The New Douglas Park side sit second-bottom in the third tier and are nine points adrift of safety.
Let’s look at three potential candidates that the club could task to revive their fortunes…
1. Allan Moore
Moore, who was assistant manager under Lennon, has been handed the reins on an interim basis. The 57-year-old’s first game in charge was last weekend’s 2-1 defeat to Alloa Athletic, which extended the club’s losing streak to 10 matches.
Before his time as Lennon’s right-hand man, the former Heart of Midlothian winger had experience in management with Arbroath, Greenock Morton and Stirling Albion.
It was with the Binos that Moore cut his managerial teeth in a spell which lasted eight years between 2002-2010. Under his tutelage, the Stirling club achieved promotion to the Second Division in 2004 and the First Division via. the play-offs three years later.
Moore’s achievements were recognised by Morton and he was appointed in May 2010, succeeding James Grady. During his time at Cappielow, he led the Ton to seventh, eighth and second-place finishes respectively, as well as a 1-0 extra-time victory over Celtic in the Third Round of the 2013-14 Scottish League Cup.
Before joining Clyde in November 2017, he also had a ten-month spell in charge of Arbroath. Moore has credit in the bank with Clyde supporters, having worked alongside Lennon in leading the club to promotion from League Two in 2019.
The club may feel, that given Moore’s success in the game and his familiarity with the current squad, he deserves the opportunity to return to management in his own right.
2. Allan Johnston
The 48-year-old is currently out of work having most recently managed Queen of the South, where he was relieved of his duties in February of this year.
In his first tenure as player-manager of the Dumfries side, Johnston brought immediate success in his inaugural season, winning both the Second Division title and Scottish Challenge Cup. He was then awarded with a move to Kilmarnock in June 2013, where he led the Ayrshire side to safety in his only full season at the helm.
Johnston then joined Dunfermline Athletic in May 2015, where he remained in post until January 2019. Under his management, the Pars gained automatic promotion back to the Scottish Championship. In their return to the second tier, the Fife side finished in fifth-place. The following season saw Johnston lead the club into the quarter-finals of the Scottish Premiership play-offs, which they lost to Dundee United.
On his return to Queen’s, the Scotland international secured the club’s position in the Scottish Championship for a seventh consecutive season in May 2019. In the 2020-21 season, which was shortened due to the Covid pandemic, the Doonhamers finished sixth, their highest league position in six years.
Having spent time out of the game, Johnston may view Clyde as the perfect chance to resurrect his managerial career. In addition, the club may picture him and his long-term assistant, Sandy Clark as the ideal management duo to preserve the Bully Wee’s status in the third tier.
3. Stuart Kettlewell
The 38-year-old has history with the Bully Wee having captained the club during the 2008-09 season, which was sandwiched between spells with Queen’s Park and Ross County.
It was at the Dingwall club, where Kettlewell made his first steps into management alongside Steven Ferguson in March 2018. Under their stewardship, the Staggies gained immediate promotion back to the top-flight. On their return to the Premiership, the club finished 10th at the conclusion of the 2019-20 season which was curtailed due to the pandemic. However, struggles during the following league campaign led to Kettlewell departing the club in December 2020.
There is an abundance of young managers seeking employment at this moment in time and if approached, Kettlewell may see Clyde as a springboard to returning to the top echelons of Scottish football.
If the club decide to open talks, his appointment as Motherwell’s development coach last month could provide a stumbling block.