Hednesford chairman speaks after shock sacking and appointing promising young manager

Hednesford Town chairman Craig Gwilt speaks after the shock sacking of Steve King and appointing promising young manager Gavin Hurren.

Hurren joins the club from Stratford Town, where he had been in charge for two seasons and finished just a place outside the Southern League – Premier Central playoffs last season..

The 39-year-old, who also had a brief spell with Hednesford Town towards the back end of his career, is joined by Lee Vaughan, as his assistant manager.

Hednesford currently sit 14th in the Northern Premier League – West Division with 22 points from 15 games played, three points above the drop zone.

The Pitmen confirmed the sacking of manager Steve King just one day before their appearance in the first round of the FA Cup, with a statement saying the decision followed a “breakdown in the relationship” between King and the club’s board.

Since the sacking, Hednesford have drew 4-4 (lost on pens) to Gainsborough in the FA Cup, lost 1-0 to Congleton, won 2-1 against Newcastle Town, won 4-0 against City of Liverpool, and this week lost 4-3 against Stalybridge after being 3-0 up.

Hednesford Town FC are delighted to confirm the appointment of Gavin Hurren as our new First Team Manager.

Gavin will be joined by a talented backroom team, including Lee Vaughan as Assistant Manager.

Gavin joins from Stratford Town FC, where he demonstrated his ability to deal… pic.twitter.com/DtGfzEPnUr

— Hednesford Town FC (@Hednesford_Town) November 20, 2024

STATEMENT ON NEW MANAGER:

Hednesford Town FC are delighted to confirm the appointment of Gavin Hurren as our new First Team Manager.

Gavin will be joined by a talented backroom team, including Lee Vaughan as Assistant Manager.

Gavin joins from Stratford Town FC, where he demonstrated his ability to deal with adversity, build an exciting, competitive squad, and improve year on year, earning recognition as one of the most promising young managers in the non-league game. A former professional footballer with experience at clubs such as Kidderminster Harriers and Hednesford Town, Gavin is well-acquainted with the unique history, culture, and ambitions of The Pitmen. His appointment represents a pivotal step forward for the club as we continue to build toward our ambitions over the coming seasons.

Supporting Gavin is Lee Vaughan as Assistant Manager. Lee boasts a remarkable playing career, having made over 600 appearances in professional and non league football with clubs including Tranmere Rovers, Cheltenham Town, and AFC Telford. Lee’s leadership, footballing intelligence, and experience at the highest levels of non-league football make him an invaluable addition to the management team.

The new gaffer shared his thoughts on joining the club:

“Hednesford Town is a club with a proud history and an incredible fanbase. I would like to thank Craig, Amanda and the Directors for giving me this opportunity, I am excited to now lead this team into a new era.
With Lee and my backroom staff we have the expertise, passion, and drive to succeed at this level and beyond.

We are eager to hit the ground running and connect with our supporters as we build a squad capable of achieving our ambitious goals.”

To the loyal supporters of Hednesford Town,

As chairman, I want to take a moment to thank each of you for your unwavering support and dedication to this club. It is because of your passion and loyalty that Hednesford Town holds such a special place in the heart of our community.… pic.twitter.com/TVSWY2ywW2

— Hednesford Town FC (@Hednesford_Town) November 20, 2024

STATEMENT FROM THE CHAIRMAN:

To the loyal supporters of Hednesford Town,

As chairman, I want to take a moment to thank each of you for your unwavering support and dedication to this club. It is because of your passion and loyalty that Hednesford Town holds such a special place in the heart of our community.

Selecting a manager is one of the most significant and challenging responsibilities I face. It’s not simply about finding someone with the right tactical knowledge or experience; it’s about entrusting the identity and future of our club to someone who shares our values and understands the responsibility of leading this great team. Every decision is made with the club’s best interests at heart, with careful consideration of the impact on our players, our staff, and most importantly, on you – our supporters. The overwhelming interest we received for the position is a testament to the respect and potential of Hednesford Town. It shows that this is a club people want to be part of, and I’m proud of the reputation we are building.

I’m happy this process is now complete. Gavin and Lee represent the perfect blend of local knowledge, emerging talent, and proven ability to succeed at this club. Their shared vision for the future of Hednesford Town FC aligns perfectly with our goals, and their appointments mark a bold step forward in our journey.

Together, we are committed to making Keys Park a home from home, building a high-performing team that will achieve not only success on the pitch but make you; the supporters; proud. With your ongoing support, we aim to become the best version of ourselves we can be and write the next proud chapter in Hednesford Town’s story.

It’s also important to remember that we are still in the early stages of a long-term project, one that is laying the foundations for sustained growth and success. It’s important we take a moment to reflect on how far we’ve come in such a short space of time. The journey we’re on is one that we are all proud of, and the incredible support we receive week in week out is the envy of other clubs. Let that unite and inspire us even in difficult times, and not allow negative sentiment divide us.

If you feel strongly about issues or have ideas for improvement, my door is always open. I regularly speak to fans on matchdays and whenever I meet them around the community. I encourage you to get involved and have your voice heard through various channels; these include the Supporters association and speaking to Jack Bevan who as part of his role as operations manager prioritises fan liaison highly. We are here to listen and work with you to make Hednesford Town the best it can be.

For those of you asking for matchday radio commentary or other initiatives – this is a community club, and we thrive when the community gets involved. If you have ideas, take the initiative and speak to us at any time. The club is here to support and collaborate with anyone who wants to make new offerings like this a reality. Our doors via all the staff are always open. If any initiatives are for the good of the club or the HTFC community we will always listen and support as best as we can.

Behind the scenes, I, along with all our dedicated staff, am constantly working to improve the experience for you all. Whether it’s enhancing matchdays, upgrading facilities, or ensuring the smooth running of the club, every decision and action is taken with your enjoyment and pride in the club at heart. The installation of the new scoreboard, which we hope to have operational within the coming weeks when all necessary hardware and software is in place, is just one example of these efforts. Likewise, our new club shop will open in time for Christmas, stocked with a range of fantastic gift options such as matchday merchandise, gift cards, Christmas items and much more to make the upcoming festive season even more special.

Its important that throughout this journey, which is very much in its infancy, that we continue to grow and move forward together. With your belief and commitment, we can achieve great things and build something truly special at Hednesford Town. Thank you, as always, for being the heartbeat of this club.

Up the Pitmen!

Craig

Here’s how fans reacted as the Hednesford chairman speaks after the shock sacking and appointing a promising young manager…

@WayneJWFC88: Excellent statement 👏🏻

@Nonleaguestars: Come on Hednesford. Would love to see you go up a few levels

@moonharv86: Up the Pitmen ❤️

@nonleaguestaffs: Best owners in non league. Can’t wait to see the club grow under Craig and Amanda. UTP ⚫️⚪️

@AdamCol24663073: I have so much time and respect for Craig and Amanda. They are making the club so much better and sustainable for the future. I had the pleasure of speaking with them in the club shop with my two boys and their ideas and visions for the club are second to none. #UTP!

@jayneyb808: We are rooting for the club’s #success 🙏⚽️ #UTP

@jakeeallennn: All the best @GavinHurren

@808Slates: Welcome to the club Gavin, shoring up defensively is the immediate priority which is achievable short term with system tweaks & personel long term. Scoring goals isnt a problem which is good as that is not so easy to address. All the best Gavin & his team UTP

@OzRacing4Life: Welcome back to the club Gavin and also welcome to the club too Lee Vaughan and I wish both of you the very best at thr club

@jhuckfield88: All the best pal 👏👏

@ChrisNunn1972: Great appt, good luck mate

@FGtherapies:
Good luck Gav… top man.
Always had time for the fans at Stratford Town…
Going to be missed mate
Wishing you and the family all the best
😎👍⚽️⚽️🍺

@LiamDudley1: Congratulations on the appointment, Gavin! 🙌

@LukeShaw1988: Not only speaking from a friend’s perspective but also played under Gav, Great man manager, he will sort the game management out which Hednesford have struggled with recently.Very talented squad which will need a few additions but @GavinHurren and Vaughny will sort it out. #UTP