Martyn's the man (From Gazette Series)

Martyn's the man

MARTYN GRIMSHAW has been unveiled as the new manager of Mangotsfield United following last week's sacking of Andy Black.

Grimshaw, a former 'Field player, was handed the job by the club's board last Friday and now has the task of transforming the club's fortunes after a season of misery so far.

The highly experienced ex-non league player has been with Dr Martens Premier Division club Tiverton Town for the past ten seasons, and has spent the last six years working as assistant manager to Martyn Rogers having ended his playing days at the Devon club.

This will be Grimshaw's first job in senior management, although he will bring to the job a wealth of experience as a coach as he steps down one tier into the Western Division.

He joined Tiverton in 1994 when the club were in the Screwfix League, but subsequently helped the side win promotion into the Dr Martens Western Division and then on to the Premier Division in a thrilling run that also saw the club win two FA Vase finals.

In addition to this, Grimshaw also had a spell in charge of the Bristol Rovers reserve team under Gary Thompson several years ago. As a player, the Bristolian had a wealth of experience at Yeovil Town, Bath City, Weymouth Town, Yate Town and Mangotsfield, as well as that glorious spell at Tiverton.

His appointment to the United hot seat will remedy the sadness felt by fans over the departure of Mangotsfield legend Black, who had made over 450 appearances for the club before managing the team for four years prior to his sacking. Once again, the board has appointed a former player - Grimshaw was at Cossham Street between 1992 and 1994. He will have former Australian international and Bristol City star David Seal as his assistant manager and player-coach as the club look to turn their season around and begin a climb up the table towards the promotion places at the league's summit.

Seal, the team's leading marksman, selected the team for Saturday's game at Swindon Supermarine, but Grimshaw took over officially after that match. The new boss told the Gazette: "As a local boy, from Bristol, I knew all about Mangotsfield and would always look for their results, and so I was drawn to the opportunity to be asked to be interviewed for the job.

"It was a real wrench to leave Tiverton after all the success we had there, and I had a great ten years there. But I have always wanted to be a number one at a club, and this is a club that I played at as well. You can only be a number two for so long, and when this opportunity came up I was very keen. Now, I can't wait to start."

Grimshaw arrives at Cossham Street nearly ten years since leaving the club as a player, and has inherited an experienced squad that includes one familiar face - Danny Haines, who is on-loan from Tiverton.

He added: "I looked around the changing room when I first got here and wondered what had happened to the club. Something had obviously gone wrong as these are quality players, and I remembered some of them from having competed in this league against them.

"It might be a confidence problem, because these are good players and we need to start getting the best out of them. Perhaps a new face coming into the club will get them going. "But, I'll judge everyone in the next couple of weeks and everyone will have the chance to prove themselves, irrespective of what has gone on before. Everyone will get that chance. Then, if I need to do so, I will go to the board and tell them what I think is needed to get this club back on track."

Grimshaw was handed the job after the club's directors had received nine principal applications for the position. He may well have a tough task ahead of him in resurrecting the ailing club's fortunes, not to mention replacing fans' favourite Black, but the new man arrives with a wealth of Dr Martens League football under his belt as both player and coach, and he will hope to succeed in the task of reviving one of the biggest clubs in the region.