The Managers – Premier Division Central

Meet the men in the dug-out.

AFC RUSHDEN & DIAMONDS

Andy Peaks

Peaks joined the Diamonds management team in May 2012 as assistant toik Mark Starmer, bringing a wealth of United Counties League experience as well as his notable career history with the original Rushden & Diamonds where he was eighth in their all-time appearance list, having played 205 times between 1992 and 1997.

Peaks, who holds a UEFA B coaching license, took over control of first team affairs in a caretaker role following Starmer’s resignation in March 2014 and was installed on a permanent basis a month later.

In his first full season at the helm, he took the club to a league and cup `double` in the United Counties League.

He has since led to the end of season play-offs twice before winning promotion to Step 3 at the end of the 2017/18 season.

ALVECHURCH

Ian Long

Long (right) returned to take charge of Alvechurch in February 2020.

They take over control immediately, just a day or so after the shock decision made by league rivals Stourbridge to end their relatively short stay at the War Memorial Ground.

Long took over the Glassboys helm in May 2019 after a hugely successful four years at Alvechurch.

He previously led Tividale to the Midland League Premier Division title in 2014 before then guiding Alvechurch to back-to-back promotions.

Church finished fourth in the 2018/19 Premier Division Central table but lost 3-0 to King`s Lynn Town in the play-off final – Lynn eventually winning the `super` play-off final against Warrington Town to win promotion to the Vanarama National League North.

Prior to moving into management, he played for the likes of Willenhall Town, Blakenall, Oldbury United and Rushall Olympic and was the MFA player of the year for 1998/99.

BANBURY UNITED

Andy Whing

Whing joined the Puritans as their new manager in May 2020.

He enjoyed an excellent playing career, making 346 Football League appearances for Coventry City, Brighton & Hove Albion, Chesterfield, Leyton Orient and Oxford United where he won the supporters’ player of the year award in 2012 and was a popular figure with fans until retirement in 2015.

More recently he has coached at Oxford United, Kidderminster Harriers and at Hereford.

He is a highly qualified coach with his UEFA A badge.

BARWELL

Guy Hadland

Hadland was appointed as the Canaries` manager in December 2018 after stepping up from the assistant manager`s role following the departure of Jimmy Ginnelly, who left for rivals and neighbours Nuneaton Borough.

Hadland joined the club prior to the 2012/13 season, ironically joining from Nuneaton with Ginnelly in charge where he had spent four years.

The now 41-year-old was a rock in the Barwell defence for a number of years before focusing on leading from the touchline rather than on the pitch.

Hadland had a wealth of playing experience having started his career at Aston Villa and then spells at Hinckley United, Bedworth United, Solihull Moors, Brackley Town and Evesham United.

BIGGLESWADE TOWN

Chris Nunn

Was officially re-appointed as the Waders manager in August 2020 following a lengthy spell as caretaker boss after the departure of Lee Allinson to Hendon in November 2019.

Nunn had stepped down from the managerial hot seat at Langford Road in April 2018 after 12 years with the club.

Nunn’s remarkable transformation of Biggleswade alongside chairman Maurice Dorrington, began in late 2006.

After saving the club from certain relegation in his first half-season, he inspired the Waders’ most successful period of their history, fulfilling Dorrington’s ten-year plan to turn the Bedfordshire side into a Step 3 club.

Starting at Step 6, in his first full season, he turned the side into promotion contenders, and in 2008/09, he guided the club not only into their brand-new home on Langford Road, but to the Spartan South Midlands League title.

By 2011, Nunn had surpassed the Waders previous highest position in English football, before the 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons served as the highpoint in the Waders’ golden era.

In 2014, they won the play-offs, earning promotion to Step 3, and in 2015, they reached the FA Cup First Round for the first time in the club’s history, after beating Canvey Island.

Having successfully endured the tough transition to the Southern Premier League, Nunn’s penultimate season saw him set Biggleswade’s current highest ever league position, with a superb ninth place finish.

BROMSGROVE SPORTING

Brendan Kelly

Kelly (left) stepped up from being assistant manager of the Rouslers in March 2018 following the resignation of Paul Smith.

He was a centre-back with Sporting, Halesowen Town, Alvechurch, Sutton Coldfield Town and Redditch United in his playing days.

In Kelly`s first full season in charge (2018/19), the Rouslers finish in second place to Peterborough Sports, but after winning the Division One Central play-off semi-final against Sutton Coldfield 3-2 after extra-time 3-2 and the final against Corby Town 4-3, also after overtime in front of a crowd of 2,943 at the Victoria Ground, Sporting were once again promoted, this time to the Southern Premier Central Division for the 2019-20 season.

Unfortunately for Sporting, when the season was declared null and void due to the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, Kelly`s side were in fourth place with ten matches remaining and one of the firm favourites to make the play-offs at least.

COALVILLE TOWN

Adam Stevens

Stevens returned to the Ravens as manager in May 2018.

He needed no introduction to supporters having played for the club, being part of the side that reached the FA Cup First Round proper in 2004 and then took over as manager for the first time ahead of the 2007/08 season.

Steady progress saw promotion in 2011 along with an appearance at Wembley in the FA Vase Final.

Having narrowly missed out on promotion for two seasons, Stevens left in September 2014 and after a period out of the game joined Northern Premier League Premier Division Grantham Town.

He helped transform the Gingerbreads into one of the best footballing sides in the league and got them to the play-off final in 2017/18.

HEDNESFORD TOWN

Keenan Meakin-Richards

Meakin-Richards was handed the more permanent post of manager in early November 2020, having taken over initially as caretaker boss following the departure of Andy Morrell in October.

Youth academy manager Meakin-Richards came through the youth team ranks at Keys Park before making a dozen appearances for the first team during the 2007/8 season.

He went on to have playing spells with Walsall Wood, Sporting Khalsa, Boldmere St Michaels, Bromsgrove Sporting, Halesowen Town and Coleshill Town before returning to Hednesford to take charge of the academy last year.

HITCHIN TOWN

Mark Burke

Burke (right) is one of the longest-serving managers in the division.

He originally joined Hitchin as a player in May 1985 from Queens Park Rangers, and retired at the end of the 2004/05 season, having made 732 appearances for the club (the second highest in the club’s history), scoring 20 goals.

He was captain of the club’s FA Cup giant-killing sides of 1994 and 1995 and skippered the Canaries to two promotion campaigns.

He stayed involved with the club after his retirement and has been the club’s mainstay in promoting and establishing partnerships between Hitchin Town FC and the local community.

In 2013/14 he was appointed assistant manager to Carl Williams, and at the start of 2014/15 season took over as manager.

Under Burke’s leadership the club reached the Southern Premier Division play-offs in 2015/16 and 2016/17, losing the play-off final to Leamington in May 2017.

The club won the Southern League Cup in 2018 and last season reached the First Round of the FA Cup for the first time in 23 years.

KINGS LANGLEY

Chris Cummins

The former Watford assistant academy boss was appointed as Kings manager in October 2019 following the resignation of Dean Barker.

Cummins also worked in senior youth positions Luton Town and Reading either side of a stint as head coach of Toronto in Canada, winning the Canadian championship.

LEISTON

Darren Eadie & Chris Wigger

Former Norwich City favourite Eadie and ex-Sheringham boss Chris Wigger took over as joint managers in March 2020 following the departure of Glenn Driver.

Eadie needed no introduction to Leiston supporters, having made 204 appearances for Norwich between 1993 and 1999, winning 7 England under-21 caps, and a further 40 appearances for Leicester City, before a succession of knee injuries ended his playing career.

Wigger was with Norwich as a youngster but never made a first team appearance.

He then played most of his football career with Wroxham and Cromer (later as player-manager) before taking up his role as manager of Sheringham Town in November 2016.

He steered the club from the bottom half of Anglian Combination Division One to two promotions to the Thurlow Nunn League First Division North and a Mummery Cup final.

LOWESTOFT TOWN

Jamie Godbold

Rated as one of Lowestoft's best ever players, Godbold took over as manager of the club in 2018.

In a glittering playing career, which included 500 appearances for Lowestoft over 13 years, Godbold returned to the Trawlerboys after a gap of five years.

Godbold was on Stoke City’s books for six years before moving on to become a well-respected member of Lowestoft’s team and also had spells with Thurlow Nunn League sides Kirkley & Pakefield and Wroxham and also spent time as manager of AFC Sudbury.

He holds a UEFA A coaching licence and is also a FA Regional Coach Development Manager for Suffolk.

NEEDHAM MARKET

Kevin Horlock

Horlock (left) was appointed as manager in February 2020 after the departure of Richard Wilkins.

Northern Ireland under-21s assistant manager Horlock had arrived at Bloomfields in June 2019 on a three-year contract to take over the running of the academy and the reserves – a post he’d previously held when the academy opened in 2012.

Horlock brings with him a wealth of experience continued with his role as academy manager after taking the first team helm.

Capped 32 times for Northern Ireland at full international level, he made over 550 appearances for the likes of Ipswich Town, Swindon Town, West Ham United, Ipswich Town, Doncaster Rovers and Mansfield Town.

He also had spells as manager of then-Isthmian League Division One South side Chatham Town in 2015, Isthmian Division One North outfit Maldon & Tiptree in 2016 and Colchester United`s under-23s in 2018.

NUNEATON BOROUGH

Jimmy Ginnelly

Nuneaton appointed local man Ginnelly as manager in December 2018 following the departure of Lee Fowler after just two games in charge.

Ginnelly, who is Nuneaton born and bred, has a great deal of experience in managing local clubs further down the non-League Pyramid, starting his managerial career with local side Stockingford AA before going on to manage Atherstone Town, Shepshed Dynamo and Northern Premier League side Barwell, where he spent the previous eight years.

In February 2019, chairman Nick Hawkins resigned and handed the club’s shares over to Ginnelly, who thus became owner/manager.

PETERBOROUGH SPORTS

Jimmy Dean

Dean (right) took over the reins at Sports in the 2015/16 season from Chris Plummer and made an immediate impact, winning the United Counties League Division One title at the first attempt and breaking a number of records along the way.

The Hinchingbrooke Cup, Northants Senior Cup and UCL League Cup followed that season.

The following season again yielded a historic year for the Turbines, winning the UCL Premier Divison title and being promoted to Step 4 for the first time in the club's history with a record 112 points and the highest scoring team in England at the level.

The club`s first into Step 4 was a baptism of fire as the Turbines found themselves bottom of the Northern Premier League Division One South table at the end of January.

But Dean made a few key signings, and the Turbines ended the season in a respectable 12th spot.

The 2018/19 saw Sports switched to the Southern League and a historic season followed, finishing the season as champions of Division One Central and the club`s furthest venture in the FA Cup, with a game live on the BBC's red button.

Dean`s maiden season at Step 3 level in the Southern Premier Divison went better than anyone expected as a fantastic season saw the club top of the league when it came to abrupt end due to COVID-19.

An excellent run in the FA Cup, surpassing the previous season, which saw the club one step away from the First Round.

Dean was a decent midfielder in his day, winning several trophies along the way and winning promotion to Step 4 level with St Ives Town and was captain at Westwood Road.

His other previous clubs include Yaxley, Deeping Rangers and Peterborough Northern Star.

REDDITCH UNITED

Matt Clarke

Redditch appointed former player and captain Clarke as their new manager in September 2020.

As a player, he had spells with Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Bromwich Albion as a youngster and then with Halesowen Town before heading to Kidderminster Harriers in a £10,000 move.

After a season at Aggborough he left for Hereford United where he played around 150 games over four seasons before further moves took him to Telford United and Redditch.

Clarke has been involved in management at Hereford, Evesham United, Halesowen and also worked as assistant manager under Paul Smith at Redditch in 2018.

ROYSTON TOWN

Steve Castle

One of the longest-serving managers in the league, Castle was appointed by the Crows in December 2013.

He was an experienced professional footballer who spent 19 years playing at Football League clubs such as Leyton Orient, Birmingham City and Peterborough United before stepping into management at the end of his playing career.

After spending a few years coaching with Peterborough and West Ham United he was appointed as assistant manager at Cambridge United in 2006 before taking up the position of nanager at St Albans City in 2008.

He had been manager of Essex Senior League side Takeley from 2011 until taking the Crows` post.

RUSHALL OLYMPIC

Liam McDonald

McDonald was appointed as the Pics manager in October 2017.

He had only parted company with Vanarama National League club Solihull Moors by mutual consent two weeks before taking the post at Dales Lane, after a year in charge, and had planned to take a break from the game.

McDonald replaced Wayne Thomas in the Olympic hot-seat having shone in managerial spells at Redditch United from May 2013 until May 2016 and Hednesford Town from May 2016 to November 2016 before keeping Solihull up in the National League in 2016/17.

As a player he represented Worcester City, Hednesford, Halesowen Town, Sutton Coldfield Town, Barwell, Kettering Town, Redditch and Tamworth.

ST IVES TOWN

Ricky Marheineke

Marheineke (left) was appointed manager in 2014.

During his first season he took the club to a ninth-place finish in the Southern Division One Central, beating the previous year’s points tally, and in his second season secured a memorable promotion, guiding The Ives to a play-off extra-time win over AFC Rushden & Diamonds.

In his first season at Step 3 level, he continued to take the club forward finishing a creditable 15th in the Premier Division also enjoying a run to the League Cup final.

A tough season in 2017/18 was followed in 2018/19 by the club`s most successful season ever, finishing 13th.

Prior to taking the Saints` helm, he was manager of United Counties League side Huntingdon Town, where he was a former player, from February 2011 until being tempted away to become assistant manager of then-Conference North side Histon in October 2013.

STOURBRIDGE

Mark Yates

Stourbridge announced the appointment of former Cheltenham Town boss Yates as their new manager in February 2020 – just before the initial national lockdown.

Yates began his playing career with Birmingham City and subsequently also had stints with Burnley, who he joined for £40,000, Doncaster Rovers, Kidderminster Harriers, where he won an FA Trophy winners` medal, and Cheltenham, making over 120 League appearances.

After a spell as first-team coach at Burnley he moved into management early in 2006 when he became the boss of Kidderminster.

He has since been in charge at Cheltenham, Crawley Town, Solihull Moors and Macclesfield Town.

The 50-year old returned to Kidderminster on a short-term contract in January 2019 before leaving Aggborough towards the end of the 2018/19 season.

STRATFORD TOWN

Paul Davis

Davis joined the Stratford set-up in October 2018, initially as part of a new-look management set-up led by Tom Baillie as head of football after being first team coach under Paul Collicutt.

Davis had previously been manager of league rivals Redditch United, where he took over in May 2018.

Davis is no stranger to management and coaching, having played an instrumental part in Oxford City’s promotion to National League South in 2012 and also managed the Reds’ Southern Premier rivals Banbury United, whom he led to the Oxfordshire Senior Cup and latter stages of FA Cup and FA Trophy qualifying rounds.

Before joining Redditch, he was in charge of Bicester-based Hellenic League Premier Division outfit Ardley United.

During his tenure, he transformed the Oxfordshire side from relegation candidates to league cup winners.

TAMWORTH

Gary Smith & Andrew Danylyszyn

The joint bosses were handed the Lambs post on a permanent basis for 2019/20.

Smith is a Tamworth `legend`, having played for the club with distinction from 1995 to 2001, representing the club over 200 times.

He previously turned out for Paget Rangers, Sutton Coldfield Town and Worcester City.

Following the arrival of Gary Mills, Smith left the club at the end of the 2000/01 season, and went on to play for Halesowen Town, Gresley Rovers, Evesham United and Grosvenor Park.

Smith is highly recognisable as the first Tamworth player ever to play international football during his time with the club turning out for St Kitts & Nevis in 2000.

He embarked on a coaching career following the end of his playing days, managing Continental Star, as well as the Coleshill Town`s under-21 team, and moved to Tamworth as under-21 manager in June 2018.

Following the dismissal of Dennis Greene, Smith along with Andrew Danylyszyn were given the manager`s job on a temporary basis in January 2019 and following on from a very impressive run up to the end of the season, the pair where given the job on a more permanent basis for the 2019/20 season.

Danylyszyn is a UEFA A Licensed coach and has a sports degree.

During his playing days, he plied his trade for FC Cavaliers in Nottingham, turning out for the club between 2016 and 18.

In between this he had spells with Mansfield Town, where he worked under Paul Cox, and at Chesterfield, where he served as a youth coach.

Cox re-hired Danylyszyn as a first team coach for Guiseley AFC in November 2017.

Following this he worked as a coach for Tamworth`s academy and West Bromwich Albion before joining forces with Gary Smith.