Chatham Town unveil former Manchester City midfielder Kevin Horlock, 42, as their new manager while John Wilfort quits Holmesdale to take charge of Erith & Belvedere

CHATHAM TOWN have pulled off a managerial coup after unveiling Kevin Horlock as their new first team manager.

The Erith born, 42-year-old has had a very successful playing career with Manchester City, West Ham United, Swindon Town and Ipswich Town.

After ending his professional career, the midfielder went on to be a player-coach and assistant manager at Needham Market, where he also set up and ran their Academy for five years.

Steve Binks, who is Chatham Town’s director of football, said in a statement: “We are pleased to announce the appointment of Kevin Horlock as the new first team manager.

“Kevin has now moved back to his roots in Kent and everyone at Chatham Town would like to wish him a very warm welcome and also a very successful career at Chatham Town FC.”

Horlock takes charge of Chatham Town for the first time on Saturday when they club travel to Walton & Hersham.

The club have been in caretaker charge for three games, with injured midfield stalwart Matt Solly taking charge, whilst the club searched for Kevin Watson’s replacement.

Chats are languishing in the bottom four (21^st) in the Ryman League Division One South table, with a record of three wins, three draws and seven league defeats.

All bottom five clubs, Hythe Town, Chatham Town, East Grinstead Town and Chipstead have parted company with their managers that started the season.

East Grinstead have appointed former Erith & Belvedere boss Matt Longhurst as their new manager and he plays host to Hythe Town on Saturday, who are now jointly-managed by former Wasps boss Tony Beckingham – and Clive Cook.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the division, Peacehaven & Telscome have unveiled Eastbourne-born Simon Colbran as their new boss after Darren Freeman left the club to take over at their east Sussex rivals Lewes, struggling in the Ryman Premier League.

Bromley based Southern Counties East Football League side Holmesdale – sitting in seventeenth-place (bottom three) in the table with a record of two wins, one draw and six defeats – begin the search for a new manager today after John Wilfort quit the club.

Wilfort will be unveiled as the new manager of league rivals Erith & Belvedere tomorrow morning, having previously played and coached at the Park View Road club.

A Holmesdale statement said: “Our first team manager John Wilfort has resigned with immediate effect.  The club have already started the process of finding a replacement.

“We wish John all the best for the future and thank him for his efforts.”

The Deres are in ninth-place in the table, having won five, drawn two and lost five of their league games.

Midfielder Jamie Wood, 37, and under 18 manager Darren Mace, took caretaker charge of one game, a 1-0 defeat at Beckenham Town in the league last weekend, while the club began the search for Longhurst’s replacement.