Halls Athletic appoint Richard Dimmock as their new manager

HALLS ATHLETIC chairman Steve Vanstone has appointed former Welling Town boss Richard Dimmock as their new manager going into their Kent County League Division One West campaign.

 

Dimmock will be assisted by former Metrogas manager, Mike Jones, who was part of Dimmock’s management team in the Kent County League and Southern Counties East Football League First Division.

The pair celebrated three back-to-back promotions from the Kent County League Division Three West whilst with the Boots before Dimmock parted company with the club in November 2018, despite the side sitting top of the table at the time.

“Dimmo was a great player in his day and he is now a proven winner as a manager and we couldn’t be happier to secure him and Mike at such a pivotal stage of the club’s development,” said Vanstone.

“Richard was working with VCD Athletic’s under 23s since leaving Welling Town whilst Mike had been Metrogas’ manager for two seasons and had developed a strong side there in a short space of time, regularly facing up against Halls in the last 18 months and now taking up his preferred role as first-team coach and Dimmock’s right-hand man.

“After the disappointing news of not making the shortlist for selection into the Southern Counties East Football League this summer, the club has moved on with their own development plans and have installed permanent spectator barriers around the (community) pitch at Princes Park, amongst other things and have now secured the most ambitious management team to date.”

Club secretary Chris Michaels added: “The appointment marks our intent to continue our progress both on and off the pitch.

“Dimmo is a winner and under him and Mike we are going to be really tough to beat.

“We couldn’t be happier and I wish them all the very best in building a squad that can dominate over the next three or four years.

“We have some amazing young talent at the club and homegrown players now in our first team, combined with Richard and Mike, we now have a club really moving forward.

“Their track record speaks for itself but they are now about to try and set a new standard and I cannot wait.

“Richard has already marked his intent to take Halls to the next level and has committed himself to the long-term project and has declared his phone on and ready for any serious players in the area to get in touch with him to come on the journey with him and Mike.”

Dimmock, meanwhile, is keen to emulate the same sort of progress that he achieved at Welling Town, who are now playing in Tier nine of English football, the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division.

“We have a three-year plan to get this club to the level they deserve to be and hopefully we can be here longer than that to be a part of that success,” said Dimmock, who cut his managerial teeth at Meridian VP.

“Halls are a great club with an outstanding facility and a big vision and both myself and Mike couldn’t be happier to be coming back together here at Halls.”

The Dartford-based side will report back to pre-season training next week with the first-team, reserve side and its new development team invited to attend.