DAVE CHALLINOR has been unveiled as the new player-manager of Colwyn Bay FC.
The 34-year old club captain was an influential figure in the Bay’s promotion-winning season, and will take the Llanelian Road hotseat in a bid for continuity at the club.
Challinor has brought in former Bury team-mate Colin Woodthorpe as his assistant, and said that he was looking forward to
“Both myself and Colin are delighted to be given the opportunity to gain out first steps on the managerial ladder,” he said.
“We see this as a great challenge and a fantastic opportunity to continue the progress made overt he past 18 months.
“As a management team we are relatively inexperienced but do have over 35 years of professional football between us which we are sure will assist in our transition.”
Promotion-winning manager Neil Young left the club last week to take up the reigns at the newly formed Chester FC, but Challinor feels his time with the Seagulls over the last two seasons has given him the experience to help the club survive in the Northern Premier League.
“For me, the past 18 months of playing non-league football has given me an insight and an understanding of what is required to be successful,” he said.
“We are under no illusions of what the task entails and it will take a lot of hard work and determination to be successful but we are highly morivated and very ambitions to make an impact in out first managerial roles.
Bay managing director Darren Cartwright hoped that the new boss would bring his winning mentality on the pitch into the dugout.
“Dave has all of the qualities required to step up to the job and was the unanimous choice of the board,” he said.
“His leadership ability is unquestioned and he has a record of success throughout his career, most recently, captaining the side to promotion through the play-offs last season.”
One of Dave Challinor’s first tasks will be to replace defender Greg Stone and injury-hit striker Rob Hopley, who have both left the Bay to team-up with Neil Young at Chester FC.