GARY Bowyer’s initial comment that the opportunity to manage City doesn’t come along that often had brought the predictable sniggers.

“About every three to six months” summed up the general response from a Valley Parade public weary of the revolving-door leadership in recent years.

But Bowyer, the club’s fifth permanent boss in the last 13 months, insists he goes into the job with his eyes wide open.

The redness in his cheeks at this afternoon’s Valley Parade press conference came from a quick dash from a training match at Apperley Bridge – not any embarrassment at his excitement from accepting a role that is fast becoming League One’s most poisonous chalice.

Having watched the likes of George Miller, Jermaine Anderson and Josh Wright face a Huddersfield academy team – City lost 2-1 – Bowyer was quick to settle in to his new surroundings in the club’s 1911 Suite.

An 11-match relegation battle is preferable to spending any longer on the sofa back home in Warrington following his second sporting passion, cricket, on TV.

“I enjoyed watching Jos Buttler smash the Windies about but I was itching to get back,” he smiled.

“Look at the stadium we’re in now. It’s massive and there’s the pull of the supporters.

“We aim to give it a good go. As I said to the staff and the players, if I didn’t believe we could do it I wouldn’t be here.

“Bradford got in touch on Sunday afternoon while I was watching my little nephew play. By the time he scored his goal, that was my decision made.

“Once he scored, I could clear off and take the call.”

The length of contract until the end of the season is a concern for some fans. They understandably fear a repeat of the inertia that followed Simon Grayson’s decision to reject a two-year deal last May when his own short-term stint was up.

But there is no hint with Bowyer that he sees City as a stopping off point after clambering back on board the managerial merry-go-round.

He is happy with an initial two months to make his mark on a club that are desperate for any good news from the most miserable of seasons.

“We can address all that in the summer. It’s about getting us out the position we are in now.

“My focus is just these 11 games. We’ve got some quality footballers in there – I’ve seen it in the two days of training.

“I understand totally (why fans have become so disillusioned). It’s a position that nobody wants to be in.

“We want to get this place rocking again by putting in performances. As long as the supporters see effort from the players, they will be behind us.

“Supporters haven’t had much to cheer about this season. We need to give them something to get excited about, it’s a two-way thing.”

And given his grounding at Blackburn and Blackpool, two clubs who have had their issues off the field, does accepting the challenge of rescuing City suggest the new boss might be a glutton for punishment?

“Not at all,” he said. “This is just massive for me.

“When the call came on Sunday, I quickly got everything agreed and drove across the M62 buzzing to get working.”