We are all united in trying to bring success to the club, says Collins

Sunday 02nd May 2010

ERITH & BELVEDERE’S new manager Micky Collins has yesterday unveiled his four-man coaching staff, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Welling-based club have just completed their worst campaign for many years as they finished fifth-from-bottom in the Bulmers Cider Kent League with 10 wins and 6 draws from their 30 matches in what can only be described as a traumatic season.

But going by the characters that Collins has brought in at Park View Road, the club will surely be pushing for honours next season.

Collins has unveiled that Julian Leigh (assistant manager), Simon Osborn (first team coach), Neil Hunter (coach) and Adrian Deane (player coach) will form his backroom team.

“The management team I have put together will bring professionalism, organisation, stability and a wealth of experience,” Collins told www.kentishfootball.co.uk tonight.

“Each person has their own role but we are all united in trying to bring success to the club.

“We are already organising for next season, hopefully there will be exciting times ahead.”

Leigh used to play in goal and started playing in the local Sevenoaks League at 14. He had two long spells at Sevenoaks Town and represented the County League. He had a season at VCD Athletic before they went into the Kent League and four years at Otford United.

He carried on playing at Sevenoaks Town until age 38 and has since been manager of Sevenoaks Town and Tonbridge Angels’ reserve team for four years, which included a two-game spell as caretaker manager for their first team in the Ryman Premier League. Julian is a qualified goalkeeping coach and alongside Mark Tompkins guided Surrey side Chipstead to Ryman League Division One South survival this season.

Osborn, a central midfielder, started his career as a trainee at Crystal Palace in 1990. After over 50 games for Palace, Reading handed over £90,000 for his services at the start of the 1994-95 season. He formed a vital part of the team that finished second in the First Division that season, losing 4-3 to Bolton Wanderers in the play-off final that was necessary due to the Premier League's reduction in size only allowing one automatic promotion place.

As a result of Reading's failure to secure promotion, Osborn decided to move elsewhere in order to gain Premier League experience, and was sold to Queens Park Rangers in July 1995 for £1.1 million. He lasted just six months at QPR before moving back down a division and signing for Wolverhampton Wanderers for a £1 million transfer fee.

It was at Wolves where he had his longest spell with a club, staying for close to six years he played close to 200 games.

In March 2001 he was loaned to fellow Championship side Tranmere Rovers for three months. He left Molineux permanently in September 2001 on a free transfer to Port Vale in League One. He played eight games in four weeks for the Vale before moving back up to the Championship with Gillingham.

After close to 50 appearances at the Priestfield Stadium, Osborn signed for Walsall in July 2003 where he was assistant to manager Paul Merson for a short time. In three seasons with the Midlands club he played over 100 games.

He started the 2006-07 season with Hereford United, who had just won promotion back to the Football League after nine years in the Conference, before moving to Bromley in September 2006. He was appointed player-manager of Bromley in January 2008, but resigned three months later.

Osborn signed for Cray Wanderers in February 2009, appearing on the bench against Ashford Town and making his debut in March against Walton & Hersham. He scored the only goal for Cray in their 1-0 victory in the play-off final against Metropolitan Police, a stunning free-kick from the edge of the box.

This also proved to be his only goal for the club, as he left the club at the end of the season and retired from playing football, opting to look for a coaching role elsewhere.

However, he came out of retirement in March 2010 to re-sign for Cray Wanderers. For the second successive season Osborn scored in the final game of the season against Horsham.

Hunter, meanwhile, has been in charge as caretaker manager at the club for the final few games of this season, where he has impressed with his knowledge and organisational skills, a great addition to the team.

Deane has played at all levels including the Football League and every tier of non league football. A former Republic of Ireland Under 21 international and currently in the playing squad at Erith and Belvedere, this is his first opportunity at a coaching position and Collins is confident he will adapt to it very well.

Visit Erith & Belvedere’s website: www.erithandbelvederefc.co.uk