Dawson quiet on Wilcox exit

admin

Player-coach Dawson, 35, and academy boss Tony Daws have been placed in temporary charge following the departure of Wilcox on Wednesday.

Wilcox, 50, had been in the job less than a year after replacing Brian Laws in December last year and led the Iron to promotion last season.

He also enjoyed a record-breaking 28-game unbeaten run for a manager’s first spell in charge, surpassing a feat set 125 years ago.

When asked if he was surprised at the timing of Wilcox’s exit, Dawson told a press conference ahead of Saturday’s game at Gillingham: “You’re asking the wrong person.

“The manager had a meeting with the chairman (on Wednesday) and that’s football.

“That’s got nothing to do with us, what’s happened. It’s happened and all we can do is focus on getting everybody ready to go down to Gillingham on Saturday.”

Scunthorpe have lost six of their last seven matches in all competitions, but Dawson said there had not been much wrong with their recent performances.

“The chairman has told us to go and get a result because I think we’re not far off,” Dawson added.

“The last couple of performances have shown we’re not a million miles off and if we can get that little bit more from the players, hopefully we can go and get three points to bring back to Glanford Park.

“Obviously things change when a manager goes, there’s a little bit of an atmosphere around the place, but all we can tell the guys is go out and train and give everything you’ve got, which we say to them every day anyway.

“There’s obviously disappointment. They’ve all gone to see the manager, but unfortunately that’s part of football and we can only look forward.

“The next game is Gillingham and with the position we are in the table we need to start picking points up and hopefully we’ll do that on Saturday.”

Former Hull defender Dawson, who returned for his second spell at Scunthorpe in May 2013, has made no secret of his desire to get into management.

“It’s not about me,” he said. “It’s about preparing the lads, getting three points and climbing the table.

“It’s not about me or the coaching staff, it’s about sticking together.

“We’ve lost a fantastic man in Russ Wilcox and his assistant John (Schofield), absolute top men, I’ve got full respect for them.

“We know in football, with what’s happened this week, you can’t look that far ahead so the main focus is definitely on Saturday.

“Russ’ record speaks for itself. No-one has beaten it and I’ve just told him, what a fantastic achievement that he has for himself and the club.”