EFL boss ambition for new Mansfield Town commercial executive Ian Deakin

Ian-Deakin - would love to try managing in the EFL one day.

His success at Long Eaton United has given ex-Stags keeper Ian Deakin a taste of football management – and he would love to see if he could cut it as a Football League boss one day.

Deakin's record at Grange Park has been phenomenal over the past two seasons and at 34 he is young enough to build on that in years to come.

Since being appointed in February 2020, Deakin has overseen an incredible sequence of results - the Blues have collected 66 league points out of a possible 72, and are still undefeated in the league during his spectacular reign.

Ex-keeper Ian Deakin delighted to be back in new commercial role at Mansfield To...

“I would be lying if I said it didn't appeal to me to manage in the league,” he said.

“A lot of footballers don't want to go into management or coaching after they finish playing. But I love football and it's my release.

“I would like to manage at a high level – and I had opportunities at the start of this year with a lot of clubs higher up the pyramid.

“But I knew it wasn't the right time for me. I needed to earn my stripes and cut my teeth a little bit.

“I needed to see if I could achieve success on a low budget and understand the mechanics of managing players.

“Then if the opportunity arose when a good club with a large budget came in for you, you have already earned your stripes lower down.”

On trying his hand in the EFL, he said: “It is definitely something I would love to do in the future and I wouldn't rule anything out.

“It would be great to manage in the Football League – and I would like to see if I can do it.

“It's all about opportunity and timing sometimes and if I can get some good experience doing what I am doing and work my way up the leagues I think that's the right course of action.”