Big dreams, dugout bans and relegation - Skembonda had it all
Former Tottenham, Wigan and Sunderland defender Pascal Chimbonda took charge of ninth-tier side Skelmersdale United, of the North West Counties Premier Division, in October. He inherited a team that hadn't won in 16 games and despite his best efforts, he failed to transform their fortunes.
"You, as a manager, have to go on the pitch and separate people. I did that in my first game in charge. I went on to separate our players, and then on the way back to the dugout, the other coach came over to confront me." Chimbonda has vowed to learn from his ban though. He added: "During that suspension, I wasn't allowed in the dugout, or on the pitch, but I was allowed in the changing room, and they allowed me to be in the stands, which meant I could still be involved in some way."
He also surprisingly registered himself as a player, five years after hanging up his boot. Explaining his decision, he said: "I signed as a player because I wanted to help my team on the pitch when I was available again."
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