Gareth Dean has been appointed as the new manager of Brackley Town with the immediate task of lifting the club from the National League North drop zone. The former head of recruitment takes over from Andy Whing, who resigned after seven months in charge.
Dean paid tribute to his predecessor. "I want to thank Whingy for his time with the club," the new manager said. He also expressed a personal hope for Whing's future. "Hopefully he can fall in love with football again, watch some games and find that drive and passion to fall in love with the game."
Dean steps into a challenging situation. Brackley Town were relegated from the National League last season and currently sit 21st in the National League North, having taken just eight points from their opening eight matches. Their recent form has been mixed, with a 1-0 FA Cup win against AFC Portchester last Saturday followed by a 3-0 league defeat to Morecambe.
The new boss will be supported by a familiar backroom team. Goalkeeping coach Alastair Worby and former Saints midfielder James Armson both stepped in as assistants during the transition. Dean's first priority is to rebuild confidence and steer the team away from danger.
Attention now turns to the league campaign. Brackley Town host 15th-placed Scarborough Athletic this Saturday, a key fixture in their battle to climb the table.
Further reading: northamptonchron.co.uk
