8:00am Thursday 30th October 2008
FORMER under-18s assistant manager Robbie Elliott is destined to succeed Andy Leader as Winchester City boss – providing club members accept the rescue package being proposed by a six-strong consortium.
Although the identity of the consortium is being kept under wraps until the membership’s crucial vote next Friday (November 7), former boxer and local businessman Paul McCarthy has spoken on their behalf.
Despite rumours to the contrary, McCarthy – whose teenage son, Connor, plays in City’s youth ranks – is not a member of the consortium and would have no financial input in the cash-strapped club, who last week revealed debts of £95,000.
But he confirmed: “The six people involved are all good business people and they’re all good friends of mine – and they’re not put off by the fact that the club are in debt.
“The debts are not wonderful, but they’re controllable and it will all be addressed.
“Plans have already been put together and I don’t think the debts will be a massive issue. They will be controlled and reduced.”
A veteran of 50 fights, McCarthy hung up his boxing gloves in 1994 at the age of 34 – his career highlight having come four years earlier when he became the first ever Southern Area super-middleweight champion.
He is a long-standing friend of ex-Saints full-back and Eastleigh director of football/assistant Mark Dennis, who was in the dugout for last night’s GX Cup game against Bashley – having agreed to help Elliott get to know the ropes as a Southern League manager.
“Mark isn’t assistant manager, but he will be working alongside Robbie for the foreseeable future,” McCarthy confirmed.
“He knows Robbie from Southampton, where Robbie worked with the Saints Academy, the youth and the reserves having also had similar experience with Reading and Portsmouth.”
Elliott and Les Young ran the Eastleigh Rangers under-16 and under-9 sides based at their own facilities at Martyr Worthy and it was agreed during the summer that they would bring the whole set-up on board at Winchester City to form the new under-18 side in the Hampshire Youth League.
“We’ve studied Robbie’s managerial ability and, between us, we’ve come to the conclusion that he’s the right man for the job,” said McCarthy.
“Some players will be leaving the club because of their loyalty to Andy Leader and I can understand that. Andy’s a lovely bloke and I think very highly of him.”
Elliott and Denis came so close to kickjing off the new partnership by steering their new Winchester City charges to an extraordinary result against Bashley on Tuesday night.
City were on top from the off and their speed and passing put their senior opponents on the backfoot. Richard Gregory and Adam Kelly proved to be the kingpins bursting through on several occasion with good support from Lee Burch.
Although Bashley appeared to be coping in defence, they were split wide open in the 14th minute when Kelly powered into the box, outfoxed keeper Grant Porter and delicately ‘bent’ the ball around him into the empty net.
A minute Bashley were level when Justin Keeler flicked the ball into the area from a corner, keeper and City’s new captain, Clint Davies came off his line but was beaten by a header from Matt Parnell.
The goal gave the Visitors the boost they needed and Nic Eastham had a shot cleared off the line and Jeremy Tarr hit the bar as he powered in the clearance.
City restored their lead after 25 minutes when Matt Palmer nodded in a header from Gregory’s pinpoint corner. City continued to press forward Burch and Gregory interpassed to give Kelly a chance but Porter saved well.
It was that man Kelly, who masterminded City into a 3-1 lead in the 32nd minute. He put in a low cross and Carl Foster running in, slammed it home.
At the other end, almost on half time Davies made a great save to thwart Keeler and send City in with a healthy lead.
Bashley brought on two subs at the start of the second half and looked a more compact unit but City still came forward. Kelly fed Foster who had his shot saved and a chance fell to Gregory but the ball bobbled in front of him and his shot was tame. With about 12 minutes to go Bashley’s greater experience began to tell and they got back into the game with a controversial gaol. City failed to clear in a goalmouth mellee and it looked as if a shot was kicked off the line but the Assistant Referee deemed that it had crossed the line and the Referee supported his flag. Nic Eastham being credited with the goal.
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