The lure of VCD ended up being too much for me to turn down, says Tony Russell

Russell’s final game in charge of Kent League side Erith Town saw the Dockers come from behind to beat Beckenham Town 3-1 yesterday, with goals from Chris Walker, Ben Payne and Jamie Humphris to reclaim top spot from Erith & Belvedere.

Russell came to Erith Town as Steve O’Boyle’s assistant in the summer of 2010, taking over as manager in October on that year following O’Boyle’s resignation.

In that season he brought the Kent Senior Trophy to Erith Stadium after beating Tunbridge Wells 3-1 in the Final at Welling United’s Park View Road.

Last season he led the Dockers to their best ever Kent League finish of fourth-place.

This season he has seen his team win ten and draw one of their eleven League matches as well as getting to the second round of the FA Vase with Guernsey visiting next month.

Russell brought an eye-catching passing game to Erith Stadium and has decided to move across to Oakwood, following the shock resignations of Ricky Bennett, Andy Silk and Peter Burke last week.

VCD Athletic are presently in fourth-place in the Kent League table, with 21 points from eleven games and are ten points behind the Dockers.

Senior player, Paul Gross, took charge of yesterday’s 1-0 home defeat to Corinthian in the Macron Kent League Cup First Round and Russell’s first game in charge will be the second leg at Gay Dawn Farm next Saturday.

Russell, 33, confirmed in his statement this morning, that he will be bringing his assistant, Ray Powell, along with him to VCD Athletic.

“Saying goodbye to the players and the committee was one of the toughest things that I have had to do in football,” said Russell.

“I leave behind a team that is top of the league by two points and have a game in hand plus in every Cup competition apart from The FA Cup, so if you are going to leave a club that means so much to you then I suppose this is not the worst situation to leave them in.”

Russell was quick to thank Albert Putman, Ian Birrell and Jim Davey – three pillars of strength at Erith Town - for their support during his time at the club.

He said: “I want to say thanks to Albert, Ian and Jim for seeing something in me in the first place.

“I have always been into coaching but never wanted to really be a manager but when Steve O’Boyle left the club those three sat me down and said that they had seen something in me and thought I could potentially be a decent manager.

“I also want to thank Albert on a personal level.  His support last year to me was such a help and I will never forget that.  Their support and backing in the two and a bit years’ I had is second to none.

“I know they are bitterly disappointed in me but once the dust settles I hope that they understand my reasons for doing this.”

Russell revealed he will meet the players’ at VCD Athletic for the first time on Monday night.  The club have already lost highly-rated goalkeeper Jack Bradshaw, who kept a clean sheet on his Erith & Belvedere debut yesterday after Micky Collins’ side defeated Greenwich Borough 3-0 at home in the Macron Kent League Cup First Round First Leg.

Russell, a highly-rated young manager, said: “Having sat down with the VCD committee on Tuesday night and listened to their plans and ambitions I admit it turned my head.

“Whenever I took a side to VCD you couldn’t but be impressed with the set-up at the club so when a club like VCD came knocking the lure ended up being too much for me to turn down.

“I am under no illusion that I am walking into a tough situation as I know a lot of them have a strong allegiance to the previous management.

“We will enter into a transitional stage as I want to impose my style on the club and I know full well that this will not happen overnight.

“VCD have had three managers over the past 20 years so I am pretty confident that I will be giving them necessary time to do that.

“I am looking forward to meeting all the players on Monday night and once that is done me and the boys that want to stay at the club will get on the training pitch working on the shape we are going to play.  More importantly I just want to put this week behind me and get stuck in.”

VCD Athletic issued the following statement following the appointment.

“VCD Athletic Football Club is pleased to announce that Tony Russell has agreed to join the club as our first team manager with immediate effect.

“Following protracted discussions Tony was happy with the aspirations of the club and the VCD committee were equally happy with Tony’s vision of taking the club forward and we look forward to a long and fruitful association together.

“Tony brings to the club a wealth of experience both as a player and manager and we will give him every assistance possible with his responsibilities.

“His first game will be next Saturday’s second leg of the Kent League Premier Division Cup away to Corinthian.”

The Crayford-based club invited postal applications for their managerial vacancy to be sent to Oakwood for chairman Gary Rump’s attention at the beginning of last week.

The statement added: “A number of other applications were received in the post and to those unsuccessful, we would like to thank them for the interest shown and wish them well in the furtherance of their careers.”

Meanwhile, Erith Town confirmed last night that reserve team manager, James Collins, 29, and first team player/coach Dean Morris, will take charge of Tuesday night’s Macron Kent League Cup First Round First Leg tie away to Cray Valley (Paper Mills) and that the pair will remain in charge until further notice.

Collins took charge of the club’s London Senior Cup (Sponsored by Coventry Scaffolding) Second Round tie away to Croydon Athletic on 12 September, which the Dockers won 4-3 after extra time.

Meanwhile, Sam May’s first goal of the season has given Matt Longhurst’s Corinthian a slender advantage going into next Saturday’s second leg against Russell’s Vickers.

Visit VCD Athletic’s website: www.vcdathletic.co.uk  

Corinthian  v  VCD Athletic
Macron Kent League Cup First Round Second Leg
Saturday 3^rd November 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Gay Dawn Farm, Valley Road, Fawkham, Near Longfield, Kent DA3 8LY