Billericay Town appoint ex-Reading, Rotherham, Swindon and Colchester player as manager

Billericay Town have chosen to appoint an ex-Reading, Rotherham, Swindon and Colchester player as their new manager after Jamie O’Hara’s exit.

The club got rid of the ex-Portsmouth, Wolves, Tottenham and Fulham player along with assistant Paul Konchesky, also a former footballer.

The Essex based club, previously owned by the controversial Glenn Tamplin, who’s now at Romford, are 17th in the National League South table after a dismal run of form.

Ricay have collected just eight points from a possible 27 in their opening nine league games this season.

MANAGERIAL UPDATE

We’re delighted to announce the recruitment of Kevin Watson as the 1st team manager!

We thank Dan Brown, Ash Goss and Ronnie Henry for their time as interim management and look forward to the new era at New Lodge 💙⚽️

FULL STATEMENT👇https://t.co/RUF4O0rBSY pic.twitter.com/2YfjtWsrKs

— Billericay Town FC (@BTFC) January 7, 2021

BILLERICAY CLUB STATEMENT:

On completion of a thorough selection process, involving circa 50 candidates, BTFC have pleasure in announcing that Kevin Watson has been appointed as our men’s first team manager with immediate effect. Kevin brings a wealth of playing, coaching and managerial experience to the club. He shares our one club vision and the board’s ambitions for Billericay Town FC. Kevin will be joined by Tristan Lewis as assistant manager.

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank Danny Brown and Ash Goss for their excellent work in standing in at a critical time. They gave us the space to be able to work through the managerial selection diligently. They are a credit to the club and will return to their roles in the U23 and Colts set-up. Thank you gents.

We’d also like to thank the high calibre of candidates that applied for their interest in Billericay Town and, in several cases, taking the time to talk to us. We wish you all well for the future, except when you’re playing against BTFC of course.

Final thanks are to the fans, despite a few growing understandably a little restless at times, you continue to standby the club. This is your club and we firmly believe that in Kevin we have found a manager that can take us forward and make us all proud to be part of the BTFC family.

Alex, Dave, Greg, Nick and Rob

– STATEMENT ENDS –

CAREER:

Senior career
1992–1996 – Tottenham Hotspur – 5 games (0 goals)
1994 → Brentford (loan) – 3 games (0 goals)
1994 → Bristol City (loan) – 2 games (0 goals)
1995 → Barnet (loan) – 13 games (0 goals)
1996–1999 – Swindon Town – 66 games (1 goal)
1999–2002 – Rotherham United – 109 games (7 goals)
2001 → Reading (loan) – 6 games (0 goals)
2002–2004 – Reading – 60 games (2 goals)
2004–2008 – Colchester United – 135 games (3 goals)
2008 – Luton Town – 6 games (0 goals)
2015–2016 – Stevenage
Total – 405 games (13 goals)

Teams managed
2015 – Maldon & Tiptree
2015–2016 – Stevenage (assistant)
2016 – Eastleigh (assistant)
2017 – Whitehawk (assistant)
2017–2018 – Bishop’s Stortford
2018–2019 – Hungerford Town (assistant)
2019 – Ebbsfleet United (caretaker)
2019–2020 – Ebbsfleet United

Fans reacted as Billericay Town appoint the ex-Reading, Rotherham, Swindon and Colchester player as manager…

@JohnL_chat: Welcome to Kevin and welcome back to Tristan. There’s a lot of work to be done but I’m still convinced we are a really good Club to be at now. Onwards and upwards!

@bringbackLB: Good Luck, great club, great bunch of people

@ash_bysouth: What happened to @Mrjamieohara1

@jonatha93162543: Nice one and good luck Kevin

@jonoblain: Announce Watson departure.

@MickyBTFC62: Good news!! Welcome to a great club Kevin. We’re all looking forward to the challenge ahead. As always, ‘we sail as one’ The loyal Ricay supporters will play our part, home and away when times allow. Onwards and upwards

@puppywalker1: Has jamie Ohara left ? Must have missed that

@richmann29: @kevwatson74 good luck kevin, look forward to what you and your staff can bring to our football club! 3 points saturday would be lovely.

@HedgerAlpha: Great news, lets all get behind the new manager

@TalkBillericay: We also welcome back Tristan Lewis as assistant, who was Harry Wheeler’s assistant for a brief period before Dean Brennan came in

@ForeverAYellow: I see Billericay Town appoint a new manager. A good appointment in my eyes that, good luck to them, will hope they can do a better job than Jamie O’Hara, though I still want Oxford City to go up

CLUB STATEMENT

The Board would like to announce, that following discussions earlier today, Billericay Town FC, Jamie O’Hara and Paul Konchesky have decided to part company. The club would like to thank them both for their contribution and we wish them nothing but the very best. pic.twitter.com/0rsLzGYTqO

— Billericay Town FC (@BTFC) December 3, 2020

ON O’HARA EXIT

“The Board would like to announce, that following discussions earlier today, Billericay Town FC, Jamie O’Hara and Paul Konchesky have decided to part company.

“The club would like to thank Jamie and Paul for their contribution and we wish them nothing but the very best.

“In the next day or so the club will announce the interim management arrangement and will start a comprehensive search for the new management team and we will be accepting applications.”

The former midfielder initially joined the club in a playing capacity in 2017, before taking on the role of player-assistant in January 2019.

He eventually became manager of the side in September 2019 and former England international Konchesky, who also had spells with West Ham and Tottenham as well as finished top of the Championship table with Leicester in 2014, began his time at Billericay as a player before becoming assistant boss in August.

The former Tottenham midfielder, 34, thanked Billericay in a heartfelt statement on social media.

He said: “Billericay Town FC is a fantastic club with great potential and I will carry nothing but fond memories of my time there as both a player and more recently a manager.

“I would sincerely like to thank everyone at the club for their support when I became manager last year.

“Following amicable discussions, myself and Paul Konchesky have decided to part ways with the club.

“When I arrived at Billericay in 2017 it was never the intention to end up coaching and managing the team, but having gained such a liking for the club and affinity with the back office staff and the supporters, I took it upon myself to take over the reigns following the departure of the previous club owner.

“I am incredibly proud that alongside my management team and the new owners we were able to work together to consolidate the club at such a difficult time.

“Billericay has been a fantastic experience for me and I feel extremely privileged to have had the opportunity to have both played and managed the club.

“I would like to thank all the fantastic people I have met throughout my time and I wish them the best going forward.

“My special thanks to Kim, Nigel and Nick Hayes for everything they have done for both me and the club.

“With love, Jamie O’Hara.”