Following the departure of player-managers’ Gary Sucharewych and Ian Robinson, Gary Hamson was brought to the club as one half of a new managerial partnership with Shaun ‘Bullet’ Rickford.

A former Leeds and Sheffield United midfielder, Hamson brings a wealth of experience with him to the role but it’s his recent success at Derby Rolls Royce and Borrowash Victoria that have fans excited. We sat down with the 57-year-old before the game against Loughborough Uni to find out some more

Why did you want to manage Long Eaton United?

“When I was 13 I was picked to play for the first team for Long Eaton United when the manager was Brian Daykin.

“I came in to training and he’d picked me to play for the first team, which caused a bit of a stir, cameras were there too. My association with United started from then, from when I was 13.

“I was born in Nottingham but all my childhood was spent in Long Eaton and I went to Wilsthorpe School.

“I’ve known chairman Jim Fairly for a long time and I coached here 20 years ago with Bob Sykes – who was quite successful here.

“Long Eaton United has always been a part of my DNA so it was an easy decision to come back.”

Your professional career began in 1976 with Sheffield United and ended in 1988 with Port Vale. What are your proudest moments?

“The biggest thing to be proud of is that I played most of my career in the top two divisions - the equivalent of the Premier League and the Championship - and I played for two big clubs.

“I had a fantastic three years at Sheffield United where I made over 100 league appearances in just my teenage years which, I think, is still a record.

“When I went to Leeds I went into a squad of internationals and it was difficult because I thought I’d go into the first team and I went straight into the reserves. It was difficult to accept.

“I did get into the first team but it was quite difficult when you go into a squad and a changing room full of international players. I’d come from Sheffield United where there were only a couple of internationals in the team to Leeds United where most of them were internationals.”

Who’s the best footballer you’ve played alongside?

“One of the best was Alan Woodward - who didn’t play for England – at Sheffield United, he was a fantastic footballer.

“I played with Eddie Gray, Peter Lorimer, Paul Madeley, Trevor Cherry, Paul Hart and Alex Sabella, the former Argentinian national manager.

“Sabella followed me from Sheffield United to Leeds, so we played at Sheffield United together and we played at Leeds together.

“He was my roommate for the time we were together at Leeds.

"I was also big mates with goalkeeper John Lukic who won the double with Arsenal and also won the Premiership – well the equivalent title to the Premiership – with Leeds. I’m still friends with John today.”

And who’s your favourite player to watch now?

“Ozil. I love Arsenal as a football club to watch. They’re a fantastic team and my favourite to watch.”

You had to call an end to your professional career aged 29 because of injuries to your knee and ankle. What was it like being forced into retirement?

“Terrible. Suicidal. It was that bad because football was my life and when it came to an end it was like hitting a brick wall at 70mph.

“But it was a case of packing it in at 30 to make my quality of life better in my 50s, which I have now, so I’m glad that’s what I did.”

Hamson’s playing career:

Sheffield United, 1976 – 1979
Leeds United 1979 – 1986
Bristol City, 1986
Port Vale, 1986 – 1988

Hamson’s managerial career:

Port Vale, youth coach, 1988 – 1989
West Hallam Juniors, manager and chairman: helped to build them into an FA charter standard club
Derby Rolls-Royce Leisure, manager: won the treble (Midlands Regional Alliance Premier Division, Derbyshire FA Divisional Cup South and MRA Challenge Cup) during the 2013/14 season
Mickleover Royals, manager, August 2014 – August 2015: won the Central Midlands League during 2014/15 season. Won club's first four games following season before club resigned from league
Borrowash Victoria, manager, August 2015 – February 2016: parted company despite losing once in final 14 games