Sean Dyche has returned to his non-league roots with a visit to Kettering Town, as the former Burnley boss continues his break from football management. The 51-year-old, who left Nottingham Forest in February, attended the Latimer Park ground this week as part of a Premier League-arranged event to see new LED floodlights funded by a £121,000 grant. Dyche grew up in Kettering and was a season ticket holder at the club in the 1970s and 1980s, attending matches at their old Rockingham Road ground with his father.
Dyche has been out of a managerial role for five months and is currently enjoying time away from the dugout. He has become a regular pundit on radio and is focusing on family, including supporting his son Max, who plays for Northampton Town. "I watch him, but I don't get involved," Dyche said. "I want him to push himself, which he is doing." He admitted he misses the intensity of management, describing it as "all encompassing," but stated he will only return if the right offer comes along. His last role at Forest ended after just four months, though he lost only one of his final five games in charge.
For Burnley supporters, Dyche's decade in charge at Turf Moor remains a defining period, most notably leading the club to a seventh-place Premier League finish and European qualification. His reputation for working successfully with limited resources contrasts with the club's current predicament. According to our latest standings, Burnley sit 24th in the Championship with just four points from eight games, having failed to win any of their last five matches. The team's next chance to climb the table comes in an away fixtures against Watford on 10 October, where they will be looking to improve on a goal difference of -8.
Kettering Town's move to Latimer Park in 2011, after losing their historic Rockingham Road home, has been supported by Premier League investment. The recent £50,000 for LED floodlights is part of a wider funding package that previously provided £47,000 for a new covered stand in 2020. Dyche's visit highlighted this vital support for the non-league game, a level where he himself played pre-season matches during his career. He noted that people in the town know him well and don't ask for selfies, allowing him a rare degree of normalcy. While he enjoys his current freedom, Dyche left the door open for a return, simply stating that in football you should "never say never." He is next scheduled to give a talk in Merthyr Tydfil to help raise funds for a local cause.
