Change of Manager at Dorking FC

We regret to announce that Danny Fox has resigned from his position of first team manager for personal reasons.Manager Danny Fox has stepped down today for personal reasons. Club legend Steve Lunn and Simon Coffey have agreed to take over until the end of the season.

“It's been an absolute pleasure to have Danny as our first team manager this season.” said Alan Gout, Dorking FC Chairman. Danny has been away from the club since the premature arrival of his first child last month and, following the addition to his household, he has understandably decided that it will be a struggle to meet the commitments required to manage Dorking FC at the same time as looking after his wife and baby, while also maintaining his professional life.

The Board of Dorking FC fully respects Danny’s reasons and has very reluctantly accepted his resignation.

Danny joined the Chicks last summer, securing his first managerial role at just 30 years of age, following an open and competitive recruitment process. He immediately made his mark with his professional approach. During the course of this season he has instilled discipline into the squad, created a regular and imaginative training regime, and overseen the progression of a number of young local players from the Under 18s to establish themselves as first team regulars.

Chairman Alan Gout says, “It’s been an absolute pleasure to have Danny as our first team manager this season. He’s like a whirlwind. His energy, drive and attention to detail have been extraordinary and he has made enormous progress on the club’s vision in a very short time. He is a professional and principled manager, as well as a very talented coach, who we have thoroughly enjoyed working with and will miss enormously. Danny, his wife Kate and baby Jemima have our very best wishes and we hope to see all three of them as our friends either at Westhumble – or next season at Meadowbank.”

Meanwhile, we are very pleased to say that Dorking FC legend Steve Lunn and Simon Coffey, the current youth team managers, have agreed to step in and take over the running of the first team on a caretaker basis with immediate effect until the end of the season.

Steve Lunn (pictured) is Dorking FC’s all time record appearance holder, having played for the club more than 300 times, when he was both captain and a prolific striker, including scoring famously against Peter Shilton’s Plymouth Argyle at Meadowbank in the first round proper of the 1992-3 FA Cup. Simon Coffey has a long track record as a player and coach in non-league football.
 
Alan Gout says, “We are extremely fortunate to have such experience in our ranks to take over straight away. Steve and Simon’s achievements with the youth squad this season have been superb, particularly in the Ryman Youth League. It means there’ll be a seamless transition with the club’s policy of developing local young players for first team football continuing through the rest of the season.”