NEXT HOME GAME - TBC
NEXT AWAY GAME - SUPPORTERS XI ARE PLAYING WORCESTER AT MALVERN ON SUNDAY AUGUST 3rd AT 3.00pm

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Kelly Praises Turner

Leicester boss Rob Kelly has spoken highly of Graham Turner ahead of tonight's clash.

Speaking to the official Leicester site, Kelly spoke of their friendship:"Graham is a good man - a really good person. When I was forced to finish playing with a back injury he was good with me - not just on a football level but a personal level as well.

"He did a terrific job at Wolves. They were in freefall when Graham went there. It is well documented what he did at Molineux. He has taken an awful lot on at Hereford and you could say he has rebuilt the club Apart from tonight I hope they go from strength to strength.

"I still in touch with him and I speak to him quite regularly. Mike (Stowell) also knows him very well. Graham signed him for Wolves from Everton.

"Graham gave me my first full-time coaching job at Wolves with their youth after I had trained as a journalist. I had coached Aston Villa's under 16 side and I had also spent some time coaching the Burton Albion first team. But they were just part-time roles and were more to do with the fact that I am an anorak and I love football.

"I was training on the Express and Star newspaper in Wolverhampton when I got a phone call. I had done my coaching badges and Graham asked me why I was at Villa and why I wasn't involved with Wolves. I told him that it was because nobody had asked me. It just went from there really.

"I spent another year completing my journalism course so I was also part-time at Wolves to start with. At the end of that, after I had sat my final exams, Graham offered me the chance to join the coaching staff on a full-time basis and I jumped at the opportunity. I was charged with setting up the centre of excellence.

"When Graham first went to Wolves I think they were sixth from bottom of the old fourth division. To start with he had to stabilise the first team to keep them in the league. He addressed each issue on the way up and eventually he came to the youth. That was my first role when I went there. He gave me my first full-time role in coaching and that is something that I will always be very grateful for.

"I went for a cup of tea with Graham before the play-off final game at the Walkers in the summer. It was a really good game and I was delighted for them. I watched Hereford a couple of weeks ago during the international break up at Rochdale, and again they played some good football. It won't be easy, but we will go there and give our best."