‘Must do better’ is Wilcox’s assessment after rejecting rival offers for York City job

The former Scunthorpe United chief has returned to management just a week after being controversially sacked by Iron, with York chairman Jason McGill labelling the 50-year-old as the ‘outstanding’ candidate to replace Nigel Worthington.

Wilcox, who has signed a 12-month rolling contract, will meet the club’s players for the first time at training this morning.

Wilcox, who will be assisted by his former Scunthorpe team-mate Steve Torpey, said: “There has been interest from a couple of other clubs for my services, but as soon as York City was mentioned, this was the club I wanted to come to.”

And on his quick-fire return to frontline management, he added: “It shows what football is about now: highs and lows.

“I was very disappointed last week, but high as a kite this week. That is football in general.”

The Yorkshireman’s record at League Two level is an enviable one, with the former Hull City and Doncaster Rovers defender the division’s reigning Manager of the Year after leading Iron to promotion last term on the back of a 28-match unbeaten run.

But his immediate aims at York, third-from-bottom in the League Two table, is to pull away from trouble at the bottom of the third-tier.

Wilcox added: “Looking back to last season, the core of the team is the same. The message to the players is ‘must to better’.

“We have obviously under-achieved.

“One win in 12 (league games) is not good enough.”

Delighted to secure the services of Wilcox, McGill said: “There was a lot of interest in the job.

“We spoke to people in the game who we trust and then meeting Russ, he was the outstanding candidate for us. It was very simple.

“We met him and as a board, there was no hesitation in offering him the job immediately.”