Non-league club reappoint ex-Premier League footballer just two days after dismissing him

Matlock Town have reinstated Adam Clayton as their manager – just two days after announcing his sacking.

The former Middlesbrough star was relieved of his duties by the eighth-tier outfit on Saturday, following a 3-0 defeat to Ossett United on Boxing Day a day earlier.

Getty

Clayton’s departure appeared to be in response to a recent loss of form, which has seen Matlock win just once in December.

Despite this, the Gladiators still sat third in the Northern Premier League (NPL) East at the time of his sacking.

While a club statement explaining the decision is no longer available online, the initial media release insisted ‘too many results’ had ‘fallen short of the standards expected’.

However, the situation quickly changed, as two days later it was confirmed that Clayton would return to his previous role.

Having departed on Saturday as well as his assistant Steve Eyre, Matlock then announced that Clayton had been reinstated, with former manager Ryan Cresswell now serving as his No.2.

Explaining the bizarre chain of events, the Gladiators revealed their boss had been let go following an approach from another club.

Matlock’s Clayton U-turn

In a statement on the club’s website, owner David Hilton has outlined why the decisions to sack and reinstate Clayton were made.

Hilton said: “We received an approach for Adam from a bigger club higher in the pyramid.

“We notified Adam of this but due to the investment and the potential to unsettle us we decided to not allow those discussions to take place until our season was complete.

“We later felt that this was unfair on Adam and that the situation had the potential to impact us regardless.

Getty

“After the Ossett game, the club decided to release Adam from his contract in order to allow him to move on.

“We felt that a fresh approach was required due to the situation having the potential to distract people at a vital time in our season.”

However, Hilton then revealed that Clayton had since turned down the approach from the unnamed dub, and asked to be reappointed as Matlock boss.

He continued: “After his release and his discussions with the other club and his family, Adam declined the offer of the new position and requested that he be reinstated at Matlock and allowed to finish what he had started with us and with the group of players he had recruited.”

Following the dramatic U-turn, Clayton will be desperate to inspire Matlock to a promotion charge in the second half of the season.

The Derbyshire outfit suffered relegation from the NPL Premier Division last term, with the former Middlesbrough star appointed interim-player manager in March.

Getty

Despite being unable to save the club from relegation, he was appointed to the role permanently just a month later.

Clayton’s side currently sit third in the NPL Division One East table, but are seven points behind leaders Redcar, with only the league champions earning promotion.

What has Adam Clayton’s career looked like?

After officially hanging up his boots following his permanent appointment as Matlock boss, Clayton is now embarking on his first managerial role.

And he will be hoping his coaching career can take him as far as his playing days, where he made over 500 professional appearances.

After coming through the Manchester City academy, the ex-midfielder went on the play for Leeds, Huddersfield and Middlesbrough.

His most successful spell came at Boro, where he made 241 appearances between 2014 and 2020, and helped them to win promotion to the Premier League in 2016.