Chris Hutchings has taken a no-nonsense approach on to the Playford Road training ground as he and his fellow members of staff fight for their Town futures. Hutchings, who gave a passionate pre-match press conference at Playford Road yesterday lunchtime, was placed in temporary charge of the Blues by chief executive Simon Clegg after Paul Jewell left the club by mutual consent on Wednesday.
Hutchings said: "It was no-nonsense today. We started on the training ground today, that’s how I want to work.
"There were home truths, it’s nitty gritty time. When people are fighting for their jobs, it’s nitty gritty, let me tell you.
"We’ve got some good staff here, some really good people here, and I’ve had a good meeting with them and they are fully behind everything that we’re trying to do. We’re all fighting for our jobs.
"I’ve said to the players, ‘It’s all right for you out there, we’re the ones fighting for our jobs here’.
"Players think that they’re going to get another contract. When they finish playing there are only so many jobs. We are fighting for our jobs and we’re going to give it everything we’ve got.”
The 55-year-old says he and the likes of coach Sean McCarthy and summer recruit Andy Liddell, the club’s fitness coach, will battle to keep their jobs: "This comes from the heart. I’m a passionate guy. If I’m playing against you, I want to kick you, I want drub you into the ground. I’m fighting fire with fire.
"People have moved down from Yorkshire with their families and babies to be at this football club. We’re fighting. Don’t anyone ever think that we’re going under. I see it one way, and it’s that way and it isn’t going to be any other.”