It’s kind of odd winning trophies for a club that we will no longer be at but our professionalism and desire to win games will ensure that we go into these no different than normal, says axed Glebe manager Simon Copley

AXED Glebe manager Simon Copley says he wants to experience winning a cup double despite being told that he will not be managing the club next season.

The Chislehurst based club announced last Tuesday that Copley and his assistant Ian Varley will be leaving the club on Saturday 7 May after failing to win promotion from the Pain & Glory Sports Kent Invicta League.



CHAMPIONS: Bearsted celebrated winning the Pain & Glory Sports Kent Invicta League title following their 4-3 home win over Sutton Athletic yesterday.
Photo: Alan Coomes

Glebe finished their league campaign in third-place, having won 26 drawn four and lost eight of their 38 league games.

They finished nine points adrift of league champions Bearsted, who were promoted along with Sheppey United, who will be playing in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division, while Glebe and the rest of the Invicta clubs will compete in the newly-created Division One.

Glebe play two Cup finals this week.  On Tuesday they travel to Enfield to play Tooting Bec in the London Senior Trophy Final.

Tooting Bec completed their 30-league match campaign in seventh-place in the Surrey Elite League Intermediate Division, which is at Step 7, one level lower than Glebe, who go into the game as favourites.

Glebe then travel to Sheppey United’s Holm Park on Saturday to play Sutton Athletic in the Kent Invicta League Challenge Trophy Final.

“Ian and I would like to thank all those supporters and members at Glebe who have supported the team over the past season and a half,” said Copley, an Academy coach at Premier League giants Arsenal, while Varley works as a coach for The Football Association.

“We have been very lucky to have assembled a brilliant team but more importantly a brilliant group of loyal and talented young men.

“These lads only lost eight games in the last 51, winning 39 of them which shows their ability and even though we fell short of promotion they have done themselves proud.

“I hope for them they experience the elation of winning a cup final, maybe even two, as they personally deserve it.

“Rocky (McMillan, chairman) will take Glebe to where he wants it to be by getting in a new manager who will bring his own set of players and I wish him and all of them luck for next season.”

Any new manager will have to re-build the team from scratch as Copley will take his players, many of whom he worked with in the youth ranks at Dartford, with him to his next club.

“For us, we have had a couple of offers already and the entire team wants to stay together which shows great team spirit and true friendship and so it’s important we take that harmony to the right club,” said Copley.

“For us things have to be just right on and off the pitch so we will choose carefully after the cup finals.

“Whoever we go to will inherit 16 experienced and hardworking lads who have all played at a higher level and two coaches who aren’t that bad.

“It’s kind of odd winning trophies for a club that we will no longer be at but our professionalism and desire to win games will ensure that we go into these no different than normal.

“Thanks again to all those who have supported us and who knows where we pop up next.

“In the meantime I’ll have to suffer working at Arsenal and Ian for The FA!!! It’s a hard life!!”

Meanwhile, Glebe chairman Rocky McMillan is inviting applications for the managerial vacancy to contact him by email glebefc@aol.com.

Applications will be handled in the strictest of confidence and please include your footballing CV and contact details.

Visit Glebe’s website: www.pitchero.com/clubs/glebefc

Glebe  v  Tooting Bec
London Senior Trophy Final
Tuesday 3^rd May 2016
Kick Off 7:30pm
At Queen Elizabeth II Stadium, Donkey Lane, Enfield, Middlesex EN1 3PL