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STAVELEY MINERS WELFARE have announced a new management team following the resignation of Rob Atkin with Kenny Geelan,
who was acting as matchday manager at Maltby Main following Wilf Race’s suspension, taking over the hot-seat at Inkersall
Road.
Geelan (39) has a wealth of experience in non-league football having played for Shepshed, Burton Albion, Stocksbridge
and Worksop Town and has managerial experience as reserve team manager at Alfreton Town.
Geelan’s assistant will
be his former colleague from Alfreton - ex-Stockport County and Sheffield United midfielder David Frain.
The managerial
vacancy at Staveley was created when the near two-year tenure of Rob Atkin came to an end when the former South Normanton
boss resigned just before Welfare’s recent defeat to Winterton Rangers.
Following Atkin’s resignation the
club’s press officer, Steve Durcan, said: “It always sad when someone leaves a club but we must move on.
“We
looked unstoppable at the start of this season with some impressive victories, particularly at Spalding in the FA Cup, but
recent results have been very poor.
“There was renewed hope after beating Mattock in the Senior Cup in November
but our league form didn’t improve.
“But the new manager will no doubt be impressed with the youngsters
at the club who have earned first team places and who boast a 100% record in the Northern Under-19 Alliance League this season.”
GARFORTH
TOWN have announced plans to erect further covered accommodation at the clubs Marston’s Stadium.
Two terraced
stands will be positioned opposite the main stand providing cover for 170 supporters.
The development will be an addition
to the numerous facility upgrades that have been employed at the stadium, with two five-a-side football courts, upgraded CCTV
systems and clubhouse bar refurbishments all undertaken in the past year.
The stands will fit within the existing stadium
boundary and will not affect the size of the pitch. They will be installed within one day and are designed to be repositioned
or extended at a later date. The two stands will sit either side of the central floodlight pylon.
SHIREBROOK TOWN
striker Simon Johnson has joined Nationwide Conference North side Gainsborough Trinity on a month’s loan.
The
23-year-old forward, who has struggled for goals recently and who is out of contract at the end of the season, is also understood
to be a target for Alfreton Town.
TADCASTER ALBION have signed Joe Gaughan, a move which reunites the prolific
striker with his former boss Jim Collis.
Gaughan has moved around the NCEL after topping the leagues scoring charts
in 2003/04 when he knocked in 26 goals for Selby Town, with spells at Liversedge and Pickering Town. And Collis is delighted
to retain the services of Gaughan, who scored on his debut, as Albion look for promotion to the Premier Division.
He
said: “With the chances we have made so far this season, any good striker up to now could have got us twenty goals.
I’m hoping we still keep creating them for him.
“The goal he got us against Gedling came out of nothing
but I want to see him score goals from six or seven yards - the real poachers’ goals. That’s what we’ve
needed.”
THACKLEY are a club with an enviable reputation for producing talented young players and, despite
seeing many players leaving the club in search of regular football, Academy coach Graham Clifford and his staff carry on unearthing
new talent.
And first-team manager John Boyle has no worries about throwing the youngsters into the NCEL arena. He
said: “There are so many teams in and around non-league football, not just this area, that are not prepared to give
the reserves and Academy players a chance.
“I think they see it as a feather in their caps that they can go out
and sign someone straight away if they have a player injured or suspended.
“I may be from the old school but
I happen to think that is not the way forward. I would sooner bring in a lad who has been knocking on the door and has earned
his chance.
“I have been proved right by the number of players who have stepped up and held on to their shirt,
keeping more experienced players on the sidelines.”
GLASSHOUGHTON WELFARE manager Freddie Cliffe has strengthened
his squad at Leeds Road with the acquisition of Ian McLean from First Division side Yorkshire Amateur and Alex Wilson from
Premier Division rivals Maltby Main.
Meanwhile Richard Horton has reversed McLean’s journey by leaving Glasshoughton
for Yorkshire Amateur.
WINTERTON RANGERS have signed former Hall Road Rangers player-manager Matty Edeson. Edeson
made his debut for the West Street club in their victory over Staveley when he came on as a half-time replacement for injured
centre-half James Atkinson — ironically a player Edeson used to manage at Dene Park.
Former professional Edeson
has played for many non-league clubs in the north including Guiseley and Bridlington Town and still holds the record as the
youngest ever player to make a first team appearance for Championship club Hull City.
BRODSWORTH have signed Craig
Longley from Pontefract Collieries and Brett Lovell from Maltby Main as manager Alan Radford looks to bolster his squad at
the Welfare Ground.
LONG EATON UNITED’S website reports that the new management duo of Craig Weston and Steven
Hamilton are having a positive effect at the club. The site says that ‘Since the new duo have taken over The Blues have
shown a strong desire to play, something which in the first half of the season was sometimes missing.
‘Although
injuries continue to make things difficult for The Blues there is light at the end of the tunnel and we can certainly see
a new spirit in the team and the new management have done well.’
BORROWASH VICTORIA have signed defender
Karl Reynolds from Premier Division side Mickleover Sports. A strong, reliable centre-half, this will be Reynolds second spell
at the Robinson Construction Bowl after previously playing for the Vics before his move to Mickleover in 2002.
ARNOLD
TOWN have signed former Buxton stalwart Richard Bevan. Bevan, 28, who made over 230 appearances for the Bucks in two spells
at the club, has been playing at Unibond First Division side Eastwood Town this season.
Lancashire born Bevan began
his career at Plymouth Argyle but has also had spells at Stalybridge Celtic, Mossley, Curzon Ashton and Leek Town.
HALL
ROAD RANGERS new boss Steve Richards has already made a huge impact at Dene Park — both on and off the pitch. On the
field a massive influx of players has completely revitalised the team with Rangers not only bagging that elusive first win
of the season but also performing well above their current league position.
Off the field supporters and officials
are now looking forward with confidence to a future which seemed so bleak at the turn of the year with chairman Bob Smailes
saying, “Everyone at Dene Park is excited about Steve’s arrival.
“I believe we have acquired one
of the best coaches in non-league foothall and it is fantastic for him to come to us with the position we are in.
“We
are under no illusions that it will be difficult to keep hold of Steve, but I’m sure that in his tenure with us, no
matter how long that is, he will take the club forward.”
Among the plethora of new players to pull on a Rangers
shirt is vastly experienced goalkeeper Gavin Kelly who played professionally for both Hull City and Bristol Rovers. After
leaving league football for a spell at Scarborough, Kelly turned out for Hong Kong side Golden before returning to the UK.
The
goalkeeper’s travels then took him to North Ferriby United, Harrogate Town, Whitby Town, Bradford Park Avenue and latterly
Bridlington Town.
NORTHERN COUNTIES EAST clubs are still flying the league’s flag in the FA Vase but whichever
two sides make it through to the final will face some disappointment as the Football Association have confirmed that this
season’s final will not be held at the new Wembley - even if the stadium is finished on time.
An FA spokesman
said: “The timings were never suitable. The Vase is the week before the FA Cup Final.
“We are in discussions
to arrange a venue for the final and hope to make an announcement soon.”
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