MICHAEL Flynn has called for managers to be given more time to put their stamp on a club after Mark Yates this week became the fourth League Two boss to be sacked so far this season.

Yates was fired by bottom club Macclesfield Town after just 12 league games in charge on Monday – less than a week after they were denied a first victory of the campaign by Jamille Matt’s 97th-minute equaliser for County at Rodney Parade.

He follows Cheltenham Town’s Gary Johnson, Notts County’s Kevin Nolan and Northampton Town’s Dean Austin in being shown the door in the first two months of the campaign.

And Flynn believes that is a sad reflection of the lack of patience shown by clubs up and down the country.

“I never like seeing a manager lose their job,” said the Exiles boss.

“It’s never a nice thing and I know Mark Yates (below). He’s a top lad and it’s always more disappointing when you know them.

“But it’s the nature of the beast and I’m sure it will happen to me one day.

“Thankfully I’m doing alright at the minute and I’m not really thinking about that.

“Managers definitely need more time but it’s way it’s going at the minute,” he added.

“You need to have foundations to build and to get your principles, your points across, your full team in that you want, your squad of players and you need them all to gel.

“Mark’s had 12 games and brought in a lot of players over the summer.

“Is that really enough time? I don’t think so but it’s not me making those decisions.”

Flynn took over the reigns at Rodney Parade following the sacking of Graham Westley in March 2017 and 17 months later he is now the eighth-longest serving manager in League Two.

“You can look at it short-, mid- and long-term,” he said.

“I came in and only had short-term because of the position we were in.

“You do your things and it pays off and then the following season is the mid-term you look to improve.

“If you get that right then you do it long-term.

“This season we’re improving again on and off the pitch.

“You need time and you can only really judge someone if they’ve had that time.

“It’ll come to a point where you peak and then it goes down again but hopefully that’s not for a while yet [for me]. It’s crazy but I’m just glad I’m in a job.”

Former County defender Chris Todd is back in management after taking charge at Gloucester City on an 18-month deal.

Todd, who helped Dean Holdsworth’s Exiles win the Conference South title in 2010 before moving on to Forest Green Rovers the following year, succeeds Marc Richards at the Tigers helm.

With Gloucester on course to return to the city in a new stadium next season after 11 years in exile, the former Eastleigh boss believes he is joining the club at an exciting time.

“I’m really excited about the challenge ahead. For me personally it’s a real honour with the club looking to come home, to think that I’ll be the man to do that,” said Todd.

“Even though it’s very much a family and volunteer-run club, Gloucester City is an ambitious club.

“With the vision the board have and me coming in, hopefully that will signal the start of a new era for the football club.

“With my experiences, I believe I’ve got a lot to offer and I cannot wait to get started.”