Chris Willcock's spell in charge of Shaw Lane AFC began with a 5-1 trouncing at leaders Altrincham on Tuesday but he still believes he can lead them to promotion this season.
The Ducks suffered a fifth successive defeat, believed to be the heaviest in their history, after the first four in that run came under Paul Quinn who was sacked on Saturday. After looking like contenders for the title just a few weeks ago, they are now down to seventh, two places and three points outside the play-off places although they do have three games in hand on the teams above them.
Willcock, a 48-year-old teacher from Stalybridge, said: "We need to turn around the form as soon as possible and remind the players of the run they were on in the first half of the season. When I took over at Stocksbridge Park Steels, they were bottom, 17 points adrift of safety with 19 games left and we finished sixth bottom and stayed up. I am looking for a similar turnaround. It's a fantastic club to be part of.
"I will be extremely disappointed if we don't make the play-offs and we still have a great chance of promotion. I won't have the chance to take any training sessions with the players because we have a game nearly every other day."
Willcock had not met the squad until before the game on Tuesday. Spencer Harris made it 1-1 at half-time with a penalty but Altrincham scored four in the second half.
"The first half was even. But we made too many mistakes in the second half and collapsed. We will move on quickly."
Willcock was the most successful manager in the history of Glossop North End, leading them to promotion and to the final of the FA Vase after defeating Shaw Lane earlier in the competition. He left Glossop at the end of last season.
His predecessor Quinn, the former Brighouse Town manager, took over in November after Craig Elliott – who had won three promotions in four years including last season – left to join Boston United. After losing just one of his first 13 matches in charge, with eight wins, Quinn's side lost four in a row without scoring and fell out of the play-off places. His last two matches were Thursday's 2-0 defeat at home to Grantham Town then a loss by the same scoreline at home to Nantwich on Saturday, after which he was sacked.
Quinn, who left alongside assistant manager Rob Wilson and coach Dave Thompson, said: "I 100 per cent disagree with the decision and I am very, very disappointed. I strongly believe I would have taken Shaw Lane into the play-offs this season. But it was the cub's decision to make and I respect it. There will be no hard feelings from me because that's not the way I live my life.
"It is a shame because I thought I was building something for the long term by making the squad a bit more professional, building links in the community and with our local professional clubs. We had numerous obstacles in our way like four or five players having their heads turned and leaving as well as the weather and the problems with the pitch which has cancelled a lot of matches and left us with three-game weeks.
"The results on the pitch had been good until the last six days but you were always going to have blips, especially when you are competing at a new level for the first time this season. I've learned a lot from my time at the club and I will now look for my next challenge. I have met some great people and it's a good club which still has a good chance of promotion this season."
The Ducks are due to host bottom club Sutton Coldfield United tonight. That is the first of 13 games in the final month of the season.
