Calum McIntyre feels fresh and motivated for Southport challenge

Calum McIntyre says he feels “as fresh, as energised, as motivated as I’ve ever been” as he returns to management with Southport.

The 33-year-old has taken charge of the National League North club after spending eight months out of the game following his departure from Chester in February.

McIntyre had been at Southport’s North-West rivals for 14 years, initially joining as an academy coach before becoming first-team manager in May 2022.

He previously took his first permanent senior management role at Runcorn Linnets in June 2020, leading them to the Northern Premier League Division One North West play-off final in his first full season.

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Massive opportunity

His time at Chester brought two National League North play-off campaigns, including a place in the promotion final in 2025, as well as two runs to the FA Cup first round proper.

Speaking in his first interview as Southport manager, McIntyre said: “Really pleased to be here and to be in the home dugout rather than the away dugout.

“Massive opportunity, massive attraction, a club with a rich history in Non-League.

“The league position at the moment doesn’t reflect the status of the club, the support base, ambition of the owners, and I think the opportunity.

“I’m aware of where I might have been previously, but to be here and have the opportunity to work with everyone at Southport and help the club achieve its aims is something I’m really excited about.”

Fresh

McIntyre believes his time away from management has done him some good.

“The opportunity for me to come out of the game for the first time in six years consecutively was something I probably didn’t realise at the time that I needed,” he explained.

“I really felt as fresh, as energised, as motivated as I’ve ever been.

“I think I look at my time [in management], and it’s very easy to talk about achievements.

“I was fortunate to be a part of and lead some brilliant teams, players that had brilliant achievements, players I got to work with.

“For me, I’m probably more interested in the things I might wish I’d done differently in that six-year spell, and whether that is, of course, results on the pitch at certain times, but the way that you manage certain situations, the way that you put yourself across.

“This opportunity for me is about succeeding at Southport.”

Challenge

Southport have endured a difficult start to the campaign, with just two wins from their opening 13 games leaving them second from bottom in National League North.

“I’ve got to be real, I’m under no illusions as to the task at hand,” McIntyre added. “The league position is what the league position is, the points returns, etc.

“There is some stuff that is always outside of a new manager’s control when you come into the building midway through a season, but I feel there is the opportunity with what’s in the building, with some work and some fresh voices, to improve things and improve that league position.

“I’m not somebody that gets overly invested in the league table until it’s done, until it levels up.

“Our 13 games so far this season are different than someone else’s.

“We’re going to look at points targets and where we pick those up, rather than get caught up in favouring a league table that maybe is not our friend at the moment.

“I’m aware of the challenge, I’m aware that there are things that I need to come into the building and influence.

“I’ve got a great deal of respect for the football club, for the supporter base. I think the supporters here are fantastic.”

Southport host AFC Telford United this Saturday as McIntyre takes charge of his first game.

READ MORE: Mark Duffy exits Southport less than three weeks after landing manager’s job permanently