A week into their Glanford Park tenure, deputy sports editor CHRIS SUMPTER speaks to assistant manager Chris Brass and goalkeeping coach Neil Cutler about why they are hopeful of bringing further success to Scunthorpe United.

CHRIS Brass never once wondered what type of person he'd be working alongside when he was given the opportunity to become Alan Knill's assistant at Bury.

He didn't get the chance.

After accepting the opening to step up from his role as manager of the Shakers' Centre of Excellence, the 36-year-old, still turning out on a Saturday for Blue Square Bet North side Hyde United, was swiftly told to hang up his boots.

It was a 'ruthless' instruction in the eyes of the reluctant former central defender, but one, that with hindsight, was correct.

Therein lies the sort of commitment Knill commands from everyone around him, especially those in closest contact.

But it is also the reason, according to Brass, why the Iron's new-look management team achieved excellent results with little resource during their time in charge at Gigg Lane.

"He finished both of our careers," Brass told the Telegraph of Knill, his eyes set firmly on fellow Glanford Park new arrival, goalkeeping coach Neil Cutler.

"He's ruthless, even down to the little things, and professional – that's the key thing with him.

"He's organised and a believer in hard work. Whatever we set out to do, be it on the training ground or away from it, we have an unbelievable work ethic.

"Football management is not a nine to five job, it's a 24-7 job. Sometimes it's actually a 26-8 job.

"We're normally the first people in and the last to leave, but he expects that, not only of his staff, he expects of the players and the football club too.

"That's the reason we've had the level of success we've had and hopefully that's the reason why it will continue."

That opinion is shared by former goalkeeper Cutler, the final piece of the managerial jigsaw to have slotted into place at Glanford Park.

He was Knill's first-choice shot-stopper throughout his 15 months in charge of Rotherham, a time when the Millers were strapped for both cash and results as they hurtled towards League Two.

The fact the newly-appointed Iron manager treats his staff exactly the same way as his players, Cutler says, means they also demand the same high standards.

"He's a perfectionist," said the one-time Stoke and West Brom custodian, a veteran of more than 200 league appearances.

"He likes everything done well – the lads are going to find out all about that. I have as a coach, just as I did as a player.

"He's made me now so that every part of the coaching I do has to be perfect, because as soon as you step off the accelerator, he's on you straight away.

"I think that's why we've progressed so well as a management team. We all know everything has to be perfect.

"We all push ourselves but the big chief, he calls the shots."

Although evidently approachable, all three of United's management team possess an air of confidence (understandable given the way they have transformed Bury from a side at the foot of League Two into one just seven matches away from promotion).

Firm but fair is probably an accurate assessment and a chat with Brass at length makes it clear just how he and Knill work as a partnership.

"I think he'd say I could have a more fiery temperament at times," smiled the former York City manager.

"When he's in the dressing room his is the one voice you hear, but then with what he has to say, people predominantly sit up and listen.

"Occasionally I'll have a minor bit to say, sadly I think that's the time when we're really not happy.

"We're certainly singing from the same hymn sheet, but he's the manager, so the pressure is mainly on him. I'm just there to try to help him along the way.

"As individuals we're different, but we have a lot of similarities in how we see football.

"We're ambitious and we want to succeed, which is why it works. That's why we want to stay together."

The only frustration in the trio's desire to remain a unit is the fact that the final throes of Bury's push for promotion must be done without all three.

It meant an 'emotional day' in the words of Brass, last Thursday, when the time came to say goodbye to the Shakers' players.

But for Cutler, none of the trio will hold any regrets, even if the two clubs are fighting for points in the same division next season.

"It is an exciting time for Bury," said the 34-year-old.

"It's a club that has gone forward so much, from one that was struggling to one that is pushing year in, year out on a basic budget.

"We had an unbelievable chance of getting promoted, but we saw this move, talked about it and this club is a real good club.

"At Bury, it had got to the stage where the things we wanted to put in place to make the place bigger and better, the club itself couldn't fulfil.

"If they couldn't keep up with us, we had to move on to somewhere where they were willing to go that extra mile. That's where we are now."

Seemingly happy to be seen as a club punching above their weight by several of their previous managers, accepting what is viewed as acceptable by most will no longer be an option at United.

Brass refuses to put a lid on what the Iron can achieve under his and Knill's time at the helm.

Doing that, he insists, is the first step towards settling for mediocrity.

"You can always make things better, you should never accept where you are," he concluded.

"You have to have a plan to how you're going to progress as a football club and we hope this club has a plan in order to make it better.

"There's a history of Scunthorpe United that's been here for years. We want to make sure we'll make some kind of mark so that whoever comes in in the future thinks 'there's not a great deal I have to tinker with here'.

"This is a good football club, but it's up to us to make it a better football club."

Actions of course will speak louder than any words Knill can utter when it comes to those aims.

But then to quote Brass: "With what he has to say, people predominantly sit up and listen."

The future certainly appears bright.

This article was first published in Wednesday's Scunthorpe Telegraph.