Hassocks Fatboys have announced the appointment of Reece Wickwar as their new Reserve Team player manager.
The current reserves captain takes over from Jamie Stratton who resigned for “family reasons” two games into the new Sussex Sunday League Division Three season.
This will be Wickwar’s first position as a manager, but he brings a wealth of playing experience to the role. The midfielder has racked up 77 appearances in Fatboys colours since signing from Mooch FC in December 2012 and was appointed captain of the second string in the summer of 2016 following the retirement of Martyn Buxton.
He has also played Saturday football for Burgess Hill Albion, Bolney Rovers and Hassocks among others in a glittering career.
Wickwar told HassocksFatboysFC.co.uk; “I’m delighted to be given the opportunity to manage such a great club. I’m not setting any aims for the season just yet, but getting a point might be a nice target to aim at.”
“We’re already looking to strengthen the squad and hopefully there will be a few announcements on that front in a couple of days time.”
“I appreciate that some supporters may be questioning whether I will be able fully focus on the job what with my current role playing Peter Barlow in Coronation Street. But I’d like to assure them that I’ll be putting 100% into improving our current league fortunes.”
Fatboys Chief Executive Officer Stuart Brown expressed his delight with the appointment. “Reece was the standout candidate from an exhaustive list of both applicants and individuals we sounded out about the role. They included Alan Curbishley, John Sitton, Kerry Mayo, Roddy Collins, Jared Evans and former FC Deportivo assistant manager Toothless Alan.”
“Reece has played under some of the best managers in the game, such as Steve Spies and Roy Staughton. He also brings a knowledge of how the Fatboys are structured, the holistic approach we are striving to implement and such enthusiasm that he downloaded a tactics application to his tablet device during his spell assisting Interim Head Coach Mark Potter.”
“Most important of all, Reece brings a wealth of skills from his training as a teacher of primary age children that should equip him to deal with the unique dynamics of the squad.”
Chairman Mark Potter added, “I’m just glad we’ve appointed somebody so I don’t have to bloody do it anymore. And I can stop having meltdowns when the changing room key goes missing.”
The reserves are without a game this weekend, giving Wickwar 10 days on the training pitch with his charges. The new managers first game at the helm will be against Crawley Cosmos at Clayton Rec on Sunday 7th October.