ByDanny Caro, Danny Caro
Darryl Lee is relishing his return to management ahead of Manchester Wolves’s debut season in the Cheshire Vets League.
Lee was talked into a return to the dug-out by long-standing friend Simon Lebovits who passed away earlier this year.
"I was in the Christie Hospital in Manchester with Simon and we were watching and discussing football,” said Lee. “He had managed his son’s junior team for five seasons and knew I loved amateur football management. I had not done anything since season 2011-12 when I had finished a successful stint at South Manchester.
"As we chatted he said, ‘Get back into it while you can, you know you love it.’ And so Manchester Wolves was born as I launched a Vets team approaching a lot of over-35s I had managed in younger years and combining them with their work colleagues and other friends keen on football who were perhaps retired but missed the banter of a Sunday changing room.
"The motto of Manchester Wolves is ‘How lucky we are’ as by the age of 35 we all know people who can no longer play for whatever reason — or who are simply no longer here."
Lee says he will sorely miss his football exchanges with Lebovits and he regrets that he will be unable to join him in the dug-out.
Manchester Wolves will make their Division Four bow against Birkenhead All Stars at Abbey HeyStadium in Gorton on Sunday. He will be assisted by Dave Nadler and Gary Louis.