Sammy Mould: Yaxley boss, 21, says relegation is 'character building'

Sammy Mould has previously named Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola as an inspiration

Sammy Mould, the youngest manager in the top nine tiers of English football, says experiencing relegation has been "character building".

He was only 20 when he was put in charge by Northern Premier League Midlands Division side Yaxley.

They only had one point at the time and now have no chance of escaping the drop with six games left to play.

"I, and the players I brought in, didn't get Yaxley relegated, the damage had already been done," Mould said.

"Of course relegation is never nice. However, myself and the group of players joined a club over 20 points adrift.

"This was always going to be a near impossible task as we were needing points, whilst also just getting to know each other and how I work. Considering we had no pre-season, this is unbelievably difficult."

After replacing previous boss Andy Furnell in January Mould set about transforming the squad, using links established via his own sports management company.

They had the early boost of victory over Harborough Town, but since then a 1-1 draw at Shepshed Dynamo, when they led until the 83rd minute, provided the only additional point earned.

"Regarding the several new faces, no disrespect [to anyone] but that was needed. There is a bedding in period and players are still going through that. [But] Those players have given Yaxley some pride and I believe will continue to do so for the remainder of the season," Mould, now 21, told BBC Sport.

"My players have been great in terms of being receptive to my ideas. That has led to some positive results, and even in the games we have lost, we have shown some good signs."

Cup final could offer silver lining

Mould watching his team warming up before kick-off

A club statement, issued on Monday, said they were "hugely disappointed" by relegation and that a "comprehensive plan" for the future was being put in place.

The statement continued: "We aim to embark on a journey to restore the faith and pride of the Yaxley community and our wider friends and supporters in this amazing grassroots football club."

Despite relegation, Yaxley could still win silverware this season as they also have a Huntingdonshire Senior Cup Final against St Ives Town to play.

Mould, who has been thinking about a career in management since he was 12 or 13, has been "regularly working away in the early hours of the morning working on analysis, recruitment and player availability", despite still dealing with the effects of long Covid.

And he said: "I am very resilient and I see this whole experience as character building, with lots of positives, as well as negatives.

"I'm very excited for the future and maintain that I will manage at the highest level.

"The biggest lesson I've learnt is management in semi-pro football is a full-time job. It's tough and will affect your sleep for sure. However, the end result will always be worth it in my opinion."

Mould expects to remain in charge for the remainder of the campaign, but his future beyond that has still to be decided.

"Me and the club are in discussions currently regarding my position," he added.

"The key is making sure things work for both parties, but it's a very good football club with lots of good people involved and good facilities."