Do Spartans know what they've Dunn?

May 3 2009 by Neil Farrington, Sunday Sun

THE name Harry Dunn – and, being brutally honest, the look of the man – smacks a little bit of Dad’s Army.

But this is one trooper who has been put out to pasture – if, surely, only temporarily – too early.

Blyth Spartans were fourth from bottom of the Unibond Premier League in October 2004 when they appointed Dunn as manager for a second time.

They escaped relegation in good time at the end of that season, just as they did in this.

Difference is, they are now in the Conference North, having won promotion in Dunn’s second season in charge.

Why, they even went within touching distance of the Conference proper in 2007.

Perhaps that fleeting glimpse of the very top of the Pyramid has given Blyth’s top brass a head for heights.

And there’s no denying the last two years have been a relative struggle in the lower reaches of Conference North.

But there’s been a trade-off for that drop-off in league form. The small matter of a £400,000 FA Cup run, national TV exposure and a near upset of Premier League opposition.

And, I repeat, Blyth are a league apart from where they were when Dunn returned.

Those being the obvious facts, I can only think Dunn was sacked last week on the strength of minor details.

How many minor details add up to £400,000 and promotion is open to question.

Oh, and one more thing: ask the last club to sack Harry Dunn – Whitby Town, now battling relegation from the, ahem, Unibond Premier League – what they think of that decision now.