Erith Town boss Adam Woodward pulls off Steve O'Boyle coup

ERITH TOWN manager Adam Woodward has added Steve O’Boyle to his management team.

O’Boyle started his managerial career by winning three reserve team league titles at Thamesmead Town, before he had the same role at Erith Town.

He was appointed first team manager back in August 2008 following Mark Tompkins’ sudden departure, but departed in October 2010 owing to budget cuts at the time.

He took joint-charge of Phoenix Sports along with Tony Beckingham and guided the Barnehurst based club to the Kent Invicta League title in his first season in charge in 2013, before taking a couple of seasons to win the Southern Counties East Football League title.

Phoenix Sports finished in fourteenth-place on their debut Isthmian League Division One North campaign in season 2015-16 before finishing in the top eight the following season.

O’Boyle stunned Phoenix Sports by resigning with the club in tenth-place in the Bostik South Division on 26 October 2017, just 13 league games into the season and has been out of the game since then.

“I have this week agreed to join Adam Woodward’s management team at Erith Town,” said O’Boyle.

“We had a conversation before I went on holiday a few weeks ago and whilst I was away I had time to think and reflect on my options for the coming season.

“Woody and I go way back to him playing in goal as a youngster for me at Thamesmead Town’s reserves and he was my captain when I won the Kent Invicta League with Phoenix.

“He was also part of my management team that secured the Southern Counties East Football League title and winning promotion to the Ryman League.

“Woody and I have worked really well together in the past and have a lot of respect for each other. He knows he can trust me 100%, which you need at this level.

“Unfortunately, no suitable opportunity has come up for me to be a manager.  To be totally honest, I miss being involved in the day to day running of a football club.  I think that managing is where my strengths lie but I am happy to help Woody and Erith out and I am sure we are going to have a good season.  It’s nice to be back involved.”

Woodward told www.erithtown.co.uk:  “I am really pleased that Boylie has joined us.  It is another sign that the club is ambitious and wants to progress both on and off the field.

“To be able to have on board a man of Steve’s talent and experience is a big coup for us.”

The Dockers have finished in the bottom four in their previous two seasons in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division campaigns.

But with Woodward, O’Boyle and coach Sam Long in the dug-out, The Dockers should be doing much better on the pitch now that they will be playing back at the Erith Sports Stadium when the new season gets underway again in August.

Visit Erith Town’s website: www.erithtown.co.uk