All-Change at Hednesford

Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central club Hednesford Town have appointed Danny Glover as their new player-manager.

The 33-year-old returns to the Pitmen for a fourth time, having begun his career at Port Vale, spending time out on loan at the likes of Salisbury, Rochdale and Stafford Rangers before joining Worcester City on a permanent basis in 2010.

He then moved on to Nuneaton Town for a season before returning Worcester.

Moves to Halifax Town and Bradford Park Avenue followed before his first spell with the Pitmen in 2014.

Glover then had time at Stockport County and AFC Telford United before re-joining the Pitmen in 2016, another brief departure saw Glover move to Alsager Town and a permanent move to Nantwich Town before re-joining the Pitmen in 2019 where he spent six months as caretaker player/manager before departing to join Rushall Olympic for a fruitful two years.

At the beginning of this season, Glover joined Northern Premier League Division One West newcomers Hanley Town.

Glover told his club’s website: “I’m absolutely buzzing to be given the opportunity to come in and manage Hednesford. Everyone knows it means a lot to me and I’m really excited to be back.

“I was really impressed with what the owners had to say regarding the situation and the belief they all have that we can get out of this.

“To have the trust that has been placed in me to try and get us out of trouble and where we want to be it feels amazing for me.

“Obviously there will be a lot of pressure and everyone will have an opinion but I’m willing to embrace that. I know there are going to be good days and bad days as a manager, but I feel I am ready. I honestly cannot wait to get started.”

Glover has wasted little time in appointing an assistant manager in Guy Hadland.

Hadland, 43, was a highly respected non-League player with clubs such as Evesham United, Hinckley United, Solihull Moors, Brackley Town and Barwell before retiring from playing.

Following his retirement as a player, he took on the assistant managers job at Barwell in 2014, spending four years in the role until taking over as manager in 2018.

He remained at Barwell through until the end of last season where he stepped down from his role with the Canaries.

Glover also wasted no time in strengthening his struggling team with three familiar faces returning to the RACE Stadium.

Chay Tilt, a 25-year-old Walsall-born winger or forward was originally on the books of West Bromwich Albion.

After being released in June 2017 he joined Queens Park Rangers where he featured for their under-23 side until he was freed in the summer of 2019.

He linked up with Southern Premier Division Central club Stourbridge early in the 2019/20 campaign.

In September 2020 he linked up with Macclesfield Town but after their sad demise, signed for Southern Premier Central outfit Tamworth before re-joining Stourbridge in late October 2020.

He switched to league rivals Redditch United in July 2021 and then onto Hednesford at the beginning of September 2021.

He took time out of the game in the summer of 2022 before re-joining the Pitmen in December 2022.

Midfielder Tom Thorley returns to the Pitmen from Northern Premier League Division One West side Leek Town.

The 32-year-old had moved to Leek in the summer of 2022 from Rushall Olympic, where he had been since October 2020.

He had moved back to his home-town club, Northern Premier Stafford Rangers, at the start of the 2018/19 season.

In a previous spell at the club he became a firm fans favourite.

He started his career as a junior at Stoke City. He had two loans spells at Rangers in 2009 and moved to Marston Road on a permanent basis, having been released by Stoke.

He moved on to Worcester City in 2010 to pursue his studies and remained at Worcester for three seasons before a move to Hednesford where he remained until his transfer to Boro, with the exception of a brief period at AFC Telford United.

Young centre-back Harvey Portman has made a swift return to Hednesford, having only left at the start of the month.

The 18-year-old had a short spell with Southern Premier Division Central rivals Bromsgrove Sporting.

He originally signed for the Pitmen in the summer of 2021 from another league rival, Stourbridge.

The left footed defender attracted a lot of attention from Football League clubs.

Hednesford Town Web Site