After returning to Brunton Park, we spoke to Gavin Skelton.
Speaking to CUTV, he said: “Really pleased to get the opportunity and walking back through the doors of Brunton Park this morning felt good and really excited going forward.”
After departing Cumbria, Gav joined Hartlepool as a first team coach, talking about his time there, he explained: “I enjoyed it. Worked with some really good people, it's a good club.
“I learnt a lot from some of the staff there, which is good, good going out in a different environment and having to prove yourself again. That's interesting coming back here, the challenge of having to prove yourself again, which is good.
“Like I say, I had a really good time at Hartlepool, but I'm grateful for the opportunity to come back here.”
When asked his reasoning behind a return to the Blues, Skelton stated: “A long association with the club, just from a young boy when I used to come and watch. Obviously, going through the academy system and being fortunate enough to play a few games for the first team.
“Being a coach here at a club, if I got the opportunity, it was always going to draw me back and I'm really, really pleased to get that chance. I think you can tell from my face I'm actually smiling, so that says a lot.
“So yeah, it was a good feeling coming up Warwick Road today, pulling in at the stadium and getting out on that training pitch. It felt really good. The challenge for me, again, to try and prove myself to new staff and the new players back at the club. I’m really interested in that challenge and where the club can go.
“It was nice to see familiar faces. It feels really good to be back, but like I say, it's under new staff. I'm grateful for the manager bringing me in and the club taking me back. I'm grateful for that and looking forward to working with them and hopefully can assist the manager and Frankie.”
Speaking on his discussions with Mark Hughes, he said: “Really positive. Spoke to him and it felt really good. It made me at ease. Spoke about football and I think we had similar beliefs on how we want to take the club forward. Like I say, it was a really positive conversation and that kind of made my mind up.”
Frankie McAvoy has also joined the club as a First Team Coach, speaking on his previous association with him, Gav said: “I've worked with Frankie at Hamilton when I was still playing many years ago and he was a coach there. So we've crossed paths a few times.
“I've even played reserve games when he was at Preston.I took a team down there and we've always kind of stayed in touch with odd text messages or whatever. So it's funny how things work out and I look forward to working with him. Even already, he seems to have a good relationship and I look forward to that developing as well.”
Looking ahead to the future following a tough couple of years on the pitch, he said: “Living in the area, people are really positive and to get the opportunity to come back and try and get them back to where we believe we should be [is brilliant].
“Words are cheap, we know how difficult it's going to be but that's the challenge. Like I keep saying, I have to come back and show my worth and I want to be part of the journey of taking the club hopefully back into the Football League in the near future.
“Just reiterating the experience I've gained from last year at Hartlepool, how tough the league is going to be and the challenges ahead.”
Speaking following his first training session back with the squad, he stated: “I loved it. Like I said, just getting back out on that training pitch and back working with players, wherever I was going to go after last season, it's been a long break and to get back on that training pitch in pre-season, it gets the juices flowing and I really enjoyed it and look forward to it going forward.”
United head to Motherwell for their first pre-season friendly next Tuesday which will be played behind-closed-doors.
“I think training is great but you always want the games. It'll be the second week and players get ready for games, that competitive edge and it's a good game going to an SPL side in Motherwell.
“They’ll be further ahead of us in their pre-season because their cup starts quite early up there so it'll be a really good challenge and good test and hopefully we go there after a couple of good weeks of fitness work and football work.”
