Mark Yates has backed Teddy Sheringham’s decision to climb the management ladder from the bottom.

But he has warned his Crawley players not to have their autograph books out when the former Manchester United, Tottenham and England star takes his Stevenage side to the Checkatrade.com Stadium on Boxing Day.

Borough have gone six league games unbeaten and will be looking to interrupt Crawley’s recent good run at home.

Yates has paid his managerial dues in the lower divisions and he reckons a stint in League Two will do Sheringham no harm.

The Reds boss told The Argus: “I think it’s admirable what he is doing.

“He has been a tremendous player and hopefully will be a decent manager. He probably already is.

“I think he has done the right thing by going down to this league and seeing what it is about.

“He sees how hard it is, how tough it is, the different things he has to deal with to what he has been used to.

“But it’s not about Teddy Sheringham and me, it’s about the teams that go out there and try to put in a performance.”

Yates joked: “All I’ve said to my players – because I’ve got a few Manchester United supporters in there – is that I don’t want them after his autograph before the game!”