Whitstable Town appoint Jamie Coyle as new manager on a two-year contract

WHITSTABLE TOWN have unveiled Jamie Coyle as their new manager last night.

The club announced the departure of Marcel Nimani on 11 April and appointed Dan Eason as caretaker manager and the Oystermen beat Stansfeld (4-1). Holmesdale (4-0) and Corinthian (2-0) under rthe goalkeeper's first stint as a football manager.

Whitstable Town had to settle for a sixth-place finish in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table, having picked up 73 points (22 wins, seven draws and 11 defeats) from their 40 league outings.

Coyle, 40, has played a key part in the heart of Glebe’s defence to finish their campaign in the play-offs.

The Chislehurst-based outfit finished in third-place in the table (83 points) and welcome fourth-placed finishers Erith Town to Foxbury Avenue on Tuesday night in the Play-Off Semi-Finals.

The winners will play Faversham Town or Corinthian in the winner-takes-all play-off final on Monday 6 May, to see who will join champions Deal Town in the Isthmian League South East Division next season.

Centre-half Coyle has played for Crystal Palace Academy, Gravesend & Northfleet, Sittingbourne, Dulwich Hamlet, Dartford, Welling United, Leatherhead (player-assistant), Maidstone United (player-coach), Welling United (player-manager), Dartford (joint-manager), Margate (assistant manager), Ramsgate (player, then manager), Erith & Belvedere and Glebe.

Coyle is a World Cup winner for the England Seniors football team and works for the FA as a coach educator.

“We are pleased to confirm that Jamie Coyle has agreed to become the first team manager at Whitstable and will take up his position once the current season has finished,” said a club statement.

“Jamie will be supported by Matt Longhurst, who is also joining us.

“The two have built a good working relationship from their time together at previous clubs and are keen to team up again for the project at Whitstable and are initially coming in on a two-year deal.

“Long-serving goalkeeper Dan Eason, who has this season moved into a coaching role, will also be staying at the club as part of the new management team.

“We believe that together they will be able to help us achieve our key objectives, which are to gain promotion back to the Isthmian League whilst also providing a pathway to senior football for the best of our talented young players progressing through our ever-growing youth section.

“We welcome Jamie and Matt to Whitstable and wish them both, along with Dan, every success in their new roles.”

Longhurst has previously managed Slade Green, Chatham Town (coach), Corinthian, Erith & Belvedere, East Grinstead Town, Ramsgate, Burgess Hill Town and helped Erith & Belvedere get over the line by winning the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division title last April.

Longhurst announced his departure during the post-match press conference following a 2-0 defeat away to Merstham on 9 January and became the director of football at Sheppey United.

The Deres will be playing in the ninth-tier again next season after finishing bottom of the Isthmian League South East Division table.

Visit Whitstable Town’s website: www.whitstabletownfc.club