Tony Russell quits Erith Town after leading Dockers to Kent League summit

ERITH TOWN are disappointed to announce that manager Tony Russell has left the club following today’s 3-1 home win over Beckenham Town, which left the Dockers at the top of the Kent Hurlimann Football League, to pursue his managerial career elsewhere.



It is expected that Russell will be unveiled as the new manager at Kent League rivals VCD Athletic, who were shocked when Ricky Bennett, Andy Silk and Peter Burke all quit the club last week.

Russell came to Erith Town as assistant to Steve O’Boyle in the summer of 2010, taking over as manager in October of 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’s final game saw the Dockers come from behind to beat Beckenham Town 3-1 today, with goals from Chris Walker, Ben Payne and Jamie Humphris and reclaim top spot from Erith & Belvedere.

The club issued the following statement on their website saying, “The board of Erith Town would like to place on record their thanks to Tony for his hard work during the last two years and wish him well in the future.

“We should also pay tribute to the first team squad who have made such a magnificent start to the season and are in with the chance of the Kent League title and a Wembley appearance in the FA Vase.  They are also chasing glory in both the Macron Premier Division League Cup and the Kent Senior Trophy making this an exciting time to be a part of Erith Town Football Club.”

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

Collins, 29, took charge of the club’s London Senior Cup (Sponsored by Coventry Scaffolding) Second Round tie away to Croydon Athletic on 12 September.

The Dockers won that game 4-3 after extra time and as a reward they will travel to Ryman League Division One South side Dulwich Hamlet in the next round on 6 November.

Dulwich Hamlet lost their 100% home record in the League when Faversham Town came away from Champion Hill with a deserved 1-1 draw, despite playing with ten-men after having James Peacock red-carded for a second yellow with 34 minutes left.

Visit Erith Town’s website: www.erithtown.co.uk

Cray Valley (Paper Mills)  v  Erith Town
Macron Kent League Cup First Round First Leg
Tuesday 30^th October 2012
Kick Off 7:45pm
at Badgers Sports Ground, Middle Park Avenue, Eltham, London SE9 5HT