It's not easy to remember a time at The Walks in recent years when Robbie Back and Neil Fryatt weren't involved in some capacity.

So it seems more than fitting that, at a time when the club needs to use every advantage at its disposal, the pair have accepted the challenge of restoring some former glories.

Appointing managers is never an exact science: Ian Culverhouse was an inspired choice 18 months ago and, on the face of it, that of Simon Clark in the summer shouldn't have presented any problems.

But it did. Big time. A team that has swept almost all before them last season, only to fall agonisingly short of promotion at the very last hurdle, suddenly looked average, at best.

Eight of last season's squad started six of Clark's seven games in charge – as the cliche goes, they don't become bad players overnight. But, like many footballers, they need the right sort of man management.

When Clark was axed after a 2-2 home draw with Histon in the FA Cup – thanks to a late equaliser – Back and Fryatt took charge for the replay. Unless you were in the dressing room you won't know what was said pre-match at Histon, but I'll hazard a guess it was low on tactical flip charts and high on reminding players how good they are and to show it. Result: a 7-0 win. Ryan Hawkins, a player who perhaps needs an arm around the shoulder rather than a critique of his off-the-ball running, scored three of them.

Suddenly, the mood began to change. A 2-2 draw at Halesowen was good, as was the sight of Harry Limb's name on the scoresheet – Limb arrived in a blaze of publicity but for some reason Clark only started him once.

Again, arm around the shoulder, proper man management stuff.

There are no guarantees Back and Fryatt will continue to get it right, but at the heart of every football club are people like them, people with an affinity for the place, who know the fans by their first names, who have respect for the people inside and outside of the dressing room.

Back gets the last word... 'There will be some difficult times ahead but we will be striving to give you the team and results your excellent backing deserves.'