Two’s company, three’s a crowd but that adage does not seem to apply to the managerial trio setting pulses racing at Ashton Athletic.
When the top job at Brocstedes Park became available four years ago, Dougie Pitts, Jay Foulds and Ben Kay all submitted their CVs.
But the application came with a caveat – they worked as a threesome.
Ashton Athletic v FC Halifax Town
The Emirates FA Cup
Second Round Qualifying
3pm, Saturday 17 September 2016
Brocstedes Park, Ashton Athletic
Winners receive £4500 from prize fund
Click here for fixtures
"We all played together and when this job became available we made the enquiry as a three," Pitts, 33, explained.
"We all have an equal say and we tend to have a similar outlook on what we want, so decision making is not a problem. If it really comes to it, we do two versus one and the majority rules!
"In our first two years Jay [goalkeeper] and Ben [midfielder] both played. Ben still does because of injuries to others, but Jay has retired.
"I’ve known Ben since I was nine. We grew up in Wigan and played in the youth teams at Wigan Athletic for years.
"We both met Jay playing for Wigan Robin Park, who no longer exist. But we’ve have always been close."
Fast forward four years into their tenure and the Ashes are enjoying their best-ever run in The Emirates FA Cup, reaching the second round qualifying after dispatching Mossley by 7-2 at the previous stage.
Their reward is a meeting with FC Halifax Town this weekend and Ashton are in line to smash their attendance record with almost 1000 supporters expected.
And Pitts, together with his trusted allies, believes they are onto something special.
"Our record attendance is 202. But Halifax have already sold their allocation and we’re looking at having around 300 home supporters, so the crowd should be about 900," he added.
"We are going to make more money on our gate this week than we would in half a season.
"It’s brought in a bit of extra business too, people want to have sponsorship boards around the pitch.
"We are such a small club with a small committee, so it has been a bit of a pain to accommodate a club of the size of Halifax - we’ve had four committee meetings in the past week.
FC Halifax Town were victorious in The FA Trophy Final last season
"That should all change now.
“We have always exited Cup competitions early in the past, but if you can put a run together that means big money for a club like ours."
Emirates FA Cup history
The second round qualifying is new ground for Ashton Athletic, who have previously never made it beyond the preliminary round.
FC Halifax Town were formed in 2008 out of the ashes of AFC Halifax Town, who went into administration.
The Shaymen have reached the first round proper four times in the last five years. In its former guise, the club reached the fifth round twice, but not since 1952-53.
Did you know?
Two of Ashton Athletic’s managers, Dougie Pitts and Ben Kay, played professionally for Wigan Athletic.
Though FC Halifax Town are only eight years old, they can boast England and Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy as well as Millwall frontman Lee Gregory among their alumni.
One to watch
With four goals in The Emirates FA Cup already this season, striker Adam Gilchrist is Ashton Athletic’s lethal weapon.
Meanwhile, the man for the occasion at Halifax is left-sided player Scott McManus. The former Manchester United apprentice scored the only goal in the Shaymen’s FA Trophy Final triumph in May.
The Prize
The winners of the second round qualifying tie will bank a cheque for £4,500 as well as a place in the hat for the third round qualifying.
