ALEX Pike reckons Football League clubs have missed a trick by failing to take a punt in management on both him and Tom Killick.

Gosport Borough boss Pike and Poole Town counterpart Killick have led their respective clubs from the Wessex League to National South.

But despite being two of the most successful figures in non-league, neither Pike nor Killick has managed any higher than step two in the pyramid.

Killick, a litigation executive by profession, scored twice when Pike masterminded Wimborne’s famous FA Vase triumph over Guiseley at Wembley in 1992.

The pair will pit their managerial wits against each other when Gosport host Poole at Privett Park on Boxing Day (1pm) – with the rematch set for Tatnam on January 2 (3pm).

Pike told the Daily Echo: “Neither of us have done it with money, it has been down to contacts and hard work.

“I know Tom has a good job and I had two businesses in the early days so maybe our jobs were more important.

“But football isn’t rocket science. It’s about player recruitment and getting them organised and motivated.

“It’s not difficult and I’ve been doing it for 30-odd years. I’ve always won things and been successful and so has Tom.

“Maybe people don’t rate the level and don’t think we have done our apprenticeships. I think we have done our apprenticeships and more.

“A lot of these clubs want to go down the route of having ex-pros as managers and I don’t think the FA helps because they want all managers to be qualified as coaches.

“My argument is that they are two completely different roles. I don’t want to be a coach, I employ coaches. I am a manager and it’s about managing the business, the players and the staff.

“Both Tom and I understand football and we know how to organise and manage people. Why do we need to have a coaching badge?

“If there was a course where you could get a qualification in management, I would do it but I don’t want to be a coach.”

Pike, who also took Gosport to the final of the FA Trophy in 2014, got one over Killick when Boro beat Poole in the Southern League Division One South & West play-off final in 2012.

Despite the setback – and after overcoming numerous hurdles with their ground – Poole won promotion to National South after being crowned Southern League champions last season.

Currently seventh, the Dolphins will be hoping to heap more misery on Boro who have been plagued by financial difficulties in recent months.

Pike added: “They have surprised me but I know what it was like when we first came up. In the first season, you have the momentum and euphoria after being promoted.

“We are in our fourth season and are finding it difficult. We both have small budgets and my players started getting picked off by the likes of Ebbsfleet and clubs like that.

“You’ve got to know where you are in the food chain. Once you start getting noticed, people start coming in for your players.

“It’s a difficult time for us at the moment and we have been through ups and downs. We have new owners taking over in the new year, which will be exciting but they haven’t taken over yet.

"At the moment, I would be the first to say that we are not at our best. That is not an excuse, it is a fact. The past few months have been tough and lesser managers would have walked away but I am not prepared to do that.”