Former Marske boss and Guisborough assistant Darren Trotter has become the strugglers' third manager this season
Darren Trotter
Billingham Town have appointed Darren Trotter as their new manager after parting ways with Wilf Constantine.
Former Marske boss and Guisborough assistant Trotter has become the strugglers’ third manager this season following the previous appointments of Paul Burton and Constantine.
Town missed out on the Northern League title on goal difference as recently as 2007, but are having their worst season in club history due to a lack of finances.
They prop up the top flight table with four points and made national and international headlines after a 14-0 Durham Challenge Cup defeat at Stockton Town in which they started with only seven players.
Constantine took the reins after that November thrashing but hard-up Town’s fortunes failed to improve during his tenure as they picked up only one point, scored six goals and conceded 93 times.
Trotter’s remit is to assemble a side ready for a crack at the second division next season.
He arrives at Bedford Terrace following a recommendation from Town’s new commercial and development manager Martin Clennitt.
Trotter is unlikely to be in the Town dugout for the first time tomorrow however as their derby at his old club Marske looks set to be postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
“Darren comes highly recommended and knows all about the Northern League,” said Town committee man Peter Martin.
“He has the chance to build his own team for next season and we didn’t feel Wilf was the man to do that.”
Town’s fierce rivals Billingham Synthonia return to the league fray at home to Morpeth following back to back postponements.
Last Saturday’s game at Celtic Nation was called off after they got all the way to Carlisle and Tuesday’s Durham Challenge Cup third round trip to West Auckland also went the journey due to a waterlogged pitch.
Synners lost 5-2 at Morpeth early in the season so aim to get their own back after hammering Whitley Bay 6-2 last time they played at Bedford Terrace. Fred Woodhouse scored a hat-trick.
Guisborough are not out again until midweek when they face Spennymoor in the League Cup, but they can enjoy training tomorrow following their 2-1 North Riding Cup quarter-final win against Scarborough Athletic.
Northern League top scorer Danny Johnson put Guisborough in front and Peter Bulmer scored the winner even though they played almost an hour with 10 men following Lewis Wood’s dismissal for a clumsy challenge.
“It was a tough game with the long trek and player unavailability, and a dismissal against higher league opponents doesn’t help,” manager Chris Hardy said.
“The effort and application from the lads was first class. We saw a lot of mature heads on young shoulders.”
Guidborough midfielder Gary Wood has moved on a 93-day loan to second division Thornaby.
Neil Radigan’s side will discover tomorrow morning if their game at North Shields will go ahead.
Thornaby midfielder Ricky Phillips has received another two-match ban after picking up his 10th caution in the derby win against Stokesley, who try to rebound from that 4-2 defeat if they can get their home game on against Heaton Stannington.
Monty Alexander’s youngsters scored a minor upset when they won at Heaton and will have attacking spearhead Greg Peel back from holiday. Norton’s next game is at Tow Law on February 8.
No comments:
Post a Comment