Walthamstow appoint ex-West Ham, Reading, Leyton Orient, Brentford player

Walthamstow appoint ex-West Ham, Reading, Leyton Orient, Brentford player John Mackie, with Terry Spillane as joint first team managers.

Former EFL defender Mackie has recently been with Potters Bar Town as assistant manager and before that was in the same role at Greenwich Borough.

Spillane, meanwhile, has been with the club since last summer. The former Redbridge boss has previously won the Essex Senior League with Stansted.

CLUB STATEMENT:

Walthamstow FC are delighted to announce the appointment of Terry Spillane and John Mackie as joint first team managers; a duo who will need little introduction to football fans in East London.

Spillane brings a wealth of experience to the role, having previously won the Essex Senior League with Stansted, as well as leading Redbridge to the Second Round Proper of the FA Cup. He has also managed at Aveley, Maldon & Tiptree, Thamesmead and Stanway Rovers. He has been with Walthamstow since June 2020, and has already had a huge impact on the team.

Working alongside Terry will be John Mackie. As a player, Mackie made over 100 appearances for Leyton Orient, as well as playing for Reading, Brentford and Sutton United. He has most recently been assistant manager at Potters Bar Town in the Isthmian Premier Division, and held the same role at Greenwich Borough, helping them to promotion to the Isthmian League.

We are looking forward to working with Terry and John over the summer and into the new season.

– STATEMENT ENDS –

John Mackie said via his Twitter account @johnmackie1976: “Delighted to be back in football & East London as joint manager @walthamstowfc with @Tellspill who has great knowledge of non league & someone after the 1st meet know we are on the same page 💪 can’t wait for pre season ⚽️💙”

JOHN MACKIE’S CAREER:

Youth career
West Ham United

Senior career
Kingsbury Town
1995–1999 – Crawley Town
1999 – Sutton United
1999–2004 – Reading
1999 → Sutton United (loan)
2004–2007 – Leyton Orient
2007–2008 – Brentford
2008 – AFC Hornchurch
2008 – Hertford Town

 

HONOURS:

Reading – Football League Second Division second-place promotion: 2001–02
Leyton Orient – Football League Two third-place promotion: 2005–06

John Mackie celebrates a goal for Leyton Orient #lofc #Orient pic.twitter.com/oFVpXPcIfU

— Football Memories (@footballmemorys) October 13, 2016

The club also recently announced a new Director of Football, and it sounds like they are set for an exciting future ahead.

They said: “It is with great pleasure that Walthamstow FC can announce the appointment of Max Mitchell as Director of Football at the club. Over the past three years we have been in the process of transforming the club into one which has a very strong community base. To this end, Max will be taking hold of all levels of football with the express remit to open up football to all community groups.

“Max came to the club at a time when we had to rebuild for the future and his efforts from the minute of his appointment have proved to us that he is the right man to take us into the future.

“Walthamstow FC is over 150 years old, tracing its foundations back to Matlock Swifts in 1868 and Leyton FC. We are now looking to build for the future and know Max has the credentials to do this.

“We will be making more announcements about this exciting project in days and weeks to come. Our aim is to build an excellent first team which will be the pride of Walthamstow and East London.”

Club statement: Max Mitchell appointed Director of Football pic.twitter.com/fxMlzHNMcD

— Walthamstow Football Club (@walthamstowfc) April 6, 2021

Max said: “Firstly I’d like to thank all the current players and management team for their hard work over the course of two challenging campaigns.

“The players, staff and fans at the club have been superb throughout and really stuck together through a time of instability both nationally and globally.

“The players have shown a really high level of performance, consistency and a winning mentality over the last two seasons, the final results of which will always remain an unknown.

“We created some really special moments over both seasons, competing at the top and feel we have something to build on in the coming months with the momentum we created towards the back end of the last season.

“Time has passed very slowly over the last four months for all of us, but we have been working over this period to improve the club, both on and off the field, to continue to grow and move forwards with our plans over the next few years.

“We are making progress and looking at a youth development pathway in the coming months to strengthen our position, and we are keen to make sure there is a platform for education and a natural progression pathway at the club.

“This will also offer valuable exit routes for young players in the community at a time where education has been at a standstill; we are keen to bridge that gap in the coming months.

“I will be taking on the role of Director of Football in the coming days and working with the club to create an environment for young players to evolve and progress through the ranks of the football club and ease the transition into first team football whilst developing the first team in terms of ethos and identity.

“When I first come to the club, I asked players and staff to be acceptable to change to allow us to grow as a team and as a football club and for me, this pathway is vital for the club’s long term future.

“Lastly, it has been a real privilege to manage this football club, and we should be really proud of our record collectively and the impact we have made in the Essex Senior League.

“These are really exciting times at the club, both on and off the pitch, and I’m looking forward to supporting the club and getting it where it needs to be.”

Fans reacted as Walthamstow appoint the ex-West Ham, Reading, Leyton Orient, Brentford player John Mackie…

@leotyrie: Great news. Will definitely have to get down to the Stow soon. Good luck @johnmackie1976

@Covey_10: Both good friends of mine, fantastic appointments. Good luck all 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 @Tellspill @johnmackie1976

@compaq7500: All the best @Tellspill to both you and @johnmackie1976 go smash it mate.

@SSOrient1879: Best of luck John Mackie hope get along next season for couple of games as nearby Up The O’s

@failedstuntman: Great news already a clutch of O’s following Walthamstow FC this will bring a few more

@NickGeorgiouUK: Congratulations @johnmackie1976 and Terry. Looking forward to following the journey

@DulcetDave: Great team! Exciting appointment. Wishing them every success

@Manc_Garry: John is a top football man so this is a great appointment.

@TPhillipss: What a partnership this will be @johnmackie1976 congrats

@JasonDo81832318: Mackie… Orient legend.. good luck

@orientgantry: Top man. What a signing for @walthamstowfc

@jackjpridmore: Great news mate, and a top duo that. Well done and good luck. You’ll smash it. Will pop over.

@aidanorient: As an Orient fan who’s taken to watching the ‘Stow more in recent years, this is good news

@gbutler0385: John Mackie yeah – what a coup that is

@theorienthour: Well done John, will definitely pop over as and when. The players there are very fortunate to have somebody of your ability to learn from.

@OrientFanTV: Good luck to you both john, hope all goes well

@superO1881: Good luck @johnmackie1976!! #lofc

@ScottMHC14: Best wishes John, good to see you in a role in Essex Senior & with @Tellspill too (best wishes to you as well Terry) – quite some management team

@Barnsey299: Congratulations John, wishing you all the best.

Love it @johnmackie1976 good luck mate 👍🏻

— Dean Cox (@dean_7cox) April 16, 2021