DORCHESTER Town manager Tom Killick feels he does not have a point to prove ahead of a Boxing Day reunion with former club Poole Town at the Avenue Stadium (3pm).

Killick faces up against the Dolphins for the first time since he was sacked after 19 years at the helm.

Neutrals across the county, plus the likes of ex-Premier League star Charlie Austin, who played at Poole under Killick between 2008 and 2009, criticised the handling of his exit and the former striker proved in hot demand as Dorchester snapped him up three weeks later. 

Previewing his reunion with the Dolphins, Killick feels the Dorset derby will be a memorable match.

He told Echosport: “I’m looking forward to it because I feel it will be a good occasion.

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“Leaving my personal position to one side, Poole are always likely to be well supported. That’s probably been enhanced by the circumstances surrounding the game.

“Local derbies on Boxing Day are, in my view, a bit special and it’s just going to be a big occasion for both clubs and hopefully an enjoyable one for supporters and players alike.

“As a player, manager or whatever, games where there’s a lot of people watching and there’s a good atmosphere, hostile or otherwise, they’re the ones that really sharpen your focus.”

Asked if his sacking added fire in his belly to beat Poole, Killick said: “I’m always going to feel they were wrong to sack me.

“I can’t change it and I don’t feel I’ve got anything to prove in terms of what I am as a manager and person.

“I’ve always said that people at Poole that matter to me will understand what I gave to the club over a period of time.

“Whether they were right or wrong to sack me is now irrelevant, I suppose. I feel my record at Poole speaks for itself.

“People will always judge you on success but I’ve always seen it a little differently to that. The thing I’m interested in is the impact we’ve had on people at that club.

“I feel I’ve had a lot of positive relationships with people, be it supporters and players. That’s what I’ll always hold dear.

“There’s a lot of people at the club I’m still fond of. Obviously, there’s people at the club I’m not so fond of but, that’s a bit of an irrelevance.”

Joining Killick in his reunion with Poole will be fellow ex-Dolphins Corby Moore, Jack Dickson and Will Spetch, who all joined Dorchester one week after Killick's exit.