Glebe appoint Fred Dillon on a two-year contract

GLEBE chairman Rocky McMillan has made the surprise managerial appointment of Fred Dillon on a two-year contract yesterday.

The arrival of Dillon to Southern Counties East Football League First Division side Sporting Club Thamesmead sparked controversy, as his former club Chipstead resigned from the Kent County League Premier Division in October.

Dillon took charge of 28 games at Bayliss Avenue, where he won nine, drew four and lost 15, finishing in 12^th-place (bottom five) in the tenth-tier with 32 points from their 30 league outings.

The Glebe chairman parted company with joint-managers Craig Nelson and Danny Oakins with six league games remaining, despite sitting at the summit of the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table at the time.

The pair were in charge of 68 games, which is the most for a Glebe management team and Dillon hasn’t managed in the ninth-tier before.

Peter Sweeney and Michael Power came in for the final five games, guiding the club to a third-place finish, including a 2-1 home defeat to Erith Town in the Play-Off Semi-Finals.

Adam Woodward’s side celebrated winning promotion into the Isthmian League South East Division for the first time, after beating Corinthian on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Bayliss Avenue on Monday afternoon.

“Now the season has finished, we wish to express our massive thanks to Sweens and Shaggy (Sweeney and Power) for stepping in for the last five matches.  I’m sure our paths will cross again in the future,” said McMillan.

“Glebe FC are delighted to announce the appointment of Fred Dillon as the first team manager.  Fred will be assisted by Chris Steadman, who takes up the assistant manager’s role.

“Fred has connections with the club for over 15 years. He joins on a two-year contract.”

Meanwhile, the Chislehurst based outfit have been awarded grants of £911,000 from the Football Foundation and Premier League Stadium Fund for the artificial pitch that is going to be laid at Foxbury Avenue this summer.

Meanwhile, Croydon have found a replacement for Liam Giles, who guided the club to a eighth-placed finish in the Southern Counties East Football League First Division and to two cup finals.

The Trams lost 3-2 to Erith Town in the Kent Senior Trophy Final but Fred Obasa’s strike sealed the London Senior Trophy with a 1-0 win over Wimbledon Casuals.

Antonio Gonnella has departed champions AFC Whyteleafe where he was part of the coaching side, to take charge at the Croydon Sports Arena.