Lordswood turn to former striker Richard Dimmock to keep them in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division

LORDSWOOD have appointed former striker Richard Dimmock as their new manager on Christmas Eve – with the task of maintaining their Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division status.

Dimmock joined Lordswood during the 2009-10 season when Jason Lillis brought him to the club and made 35 appearances across five seasons, scoring 15 goals.

Dimmock replaces Neil Hunter, who suffered a wretched time in charge of the club, winning only five of his 41 games in charge in all competitions after taking over from Darren Anslow at the start of last season.

Hunter resigned from the manager’s role on Thursday 16 December and the club have turned to a “familiar face” to turn around the club’s fortunes and to avoid relegation at the end of the season.

“Former Lords player Richard Dimmock is the new man in charge and his sole target for the remainder of the season is to pull the team out of the relegation zone in what has been a wretched first half of the 2021-22 season,” said a club statement.

“As manager, Dimmock joins from Halls Athletic in the Kent County League Division One West, although he is no stranger to the Southern Counties East Football League having had managerial spells at Meridian VP and a successful stint with Welling Town, which saw them swiftly elevated from Kent County League Division Three to the Southern Counties East Football League First Division.

“Dimmock will be joined by his coaching team at Halls, in the form of Mike Jones and Jason Long.

“Long is another who is no stranger to the club, having also played under Lillis for a couple of seasons 10 years ago.”

Dimmock’s first game in charge is away to Tunbridge Wells on Monday 3 January, where he will go head-to-head with former Lordswood team-mate and manager Richard Styles.

Lordswood’s home game against Hollands & Blair on Monday 27 December has conveniently been postponed, due to Covid-19 cases within the camp and this will give Dimmock time to bring in better and vastly experienced players ahead of their trip to Culverden Stadium.

Lordswood are second from bottom in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table, having collected two wins and three draws under Hunter during his 20 games in charge.

The club are two points adrift of Rusthall – who come to Lordswood in a massive six-pointer on Saturday 8 January 2022 – with Jimmy Anderson’s side having a couple of games in hand.

Lordswood haven’t won a game in nine and have 18 league games to avoid relegation, while bottom-placed Tower Hamlets are only three points adrift of Lordswood, having played a game more.

Lordswood are currently 21 points shy of the magical 30 point target, which usually maintains clubs their status in the ninth-tier of English football in Kent.

Halls Athletic - three levels beneath Lordswood - are second in the Kent County League Division One West, having won 10 and drawn two of their 14 league games, a point behind leaders Chipstead (Kent).

Dartford-based side, ​Halls Athletic, have swiftly appointed Dimmock’s replacement by appointing Georgios Michaelas as interim first-team manager.

“George has led the reserves for the past two seasons and had previous stints as first-team assistant manager,” said a club statement.

“George is an A Licenced coach with over 30 years’ experience, most notably leading Chelsea Ladies to the Women’s Premier Division in 2005, but more recently working with our best, youngest players, that he now rejoins with a large number of home-grown players in the first-team.”

Visit Lordswood’s website: www.lordswoodfc.club