DOSWELL DID WELL
Barnaby Rostant at Sutton United under
A look at his Sutton reign
THERE was an incredible journey for Paul Doswell and Sutton United after he became manager ahead of the 2008/09 season. In his first year, Doswell led the U’s to the Ryman Premier play-offs, only to be heavily beaten 3-0 by Staines, who would go on to secure promotion to Conference South.
The following campaign included more disappointment for Doswell as Sutton finished runners-up only to lose again in the play-off semi-finals. They lost 4-2 to Kingstonian in front of a crowd of 1,400 at Gander Green Lane.
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try again. And that was exactly what the U’s did when they stormed to the 2010/11 Ryman Premier title, Bradley Woods-Garness scoring 16 goals.
After being released from Leyton Orient, Harry Beautyman was snapped up by Doswell for their Conference South bow and the midfielder didn’t disappoint, scoring on his debut in a 4-1 win against Tonbridge Angels.
He would go on to score 13 league goals as he helped Sutton mount a late play-off charge. Inspired performances from club captain Anthony Riviere, who had joined in the summer from Eastleigh, saw Sutton reach the play-offs. However, they were eliminated in the semi-finals by Welling.
With Beautyman and Riviere still impressing in midfield, it was the return of
Harry Ottaway, a product of their youth academy, that had many fans feeling like this was the year for promotion.
However, the 2012-13 season was yet another ‘nearly’ season, for the U’s as they just missed out on the play-offs.
Ahead of the next campaign, it was confirmed that the “Two Harrys” (Beautyman and Ottaway) had departed the club, with Beautyman joining Welling in search of higher tier football.
Long-serving striker Craig Dundas continued to hit the back of the net as well as Damian Scannell, who had just joined after impressing at Eastleigh.
Scannell was key as Sutton mounted yet another promotion push. However, it would be the Eastleigh team Scannell left who would go on to narrowly beat Sutton to the automatic promotion spot.
The U’s were to lose in the play-offs to eventual winners Dover, the team Ottaway had joined after leaving Gander Green Lane.
Doswell continued the trend of signing players from his previous club as he added Jamie Collins to the ranks from Eastleigh during the 2014/15 season.
Despite adding the solid centre-back to his team, Collins couldn’t help Doswell reach the dizzy heights of previous seasons as Sutton finished in 15th place. Collins was named club captain ahead of the 2015/16 season and led the U’s to the Conference South title. He put in inspirational performances in defence as well as scoring pivotal goals.
He was named in the Conference South ‘Team of the Year’, with new signings Tom Bolarinwa (who had joined from Cray Wanderers) and Craig Eastmond (who had arrived after his release from Colchester) playing pivotal roles in the title-winning season.
Losing Bolarinwa to League Two side Grimsby after the winger amassed 11 league goals, with a number of Man of the Match performances, was a massive blow for Doswell but it was no surprise Bolarinwa caught the eye. Nonetheless, Sutton settled well into Non-League’s top tier, finishing a creditable 12th. Experienced midfielder Nicky Bailey returned to Gander Green Lane. Like Ottaway, Bailey was a product of Sutton’s Academy and he went on to play for the likes of Charlton, Middlesbrough and Millwall before his return to the U’s ahead of the 2016/17 season.
Doswell had also added Roarie Deacon, Maxime
Biamou and Kieron Cadogan to the ranks and the U’s really made a name for themselves in the FA Cup.
Amazingly, Sutton reached the fifth round, only being beaten by Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal, who would ultimately go on to win the Cup that season, in front of a crowd of over 5,000 people on their 3G pitch.
In the run-up to the glamour tie, Sutton had taken the scalps of Forest Green, Dartford, Cheltenham, AFC Wimbledon and Leeds.
After the successful 2016/17 campaign, Doswell saw Biamou gain a move to the EFL by joining Coventry, whereas Deacon went to Scotland to play for Dundee.
Beautyman and Bolarinwa returned to the club where they had made a name for themselves. They helped Sutton finish in third place, level on points with runners-up Tranmere Rovers.
But Tommy Wright was the star man during that 2017/18 season, scoring 18 goals as Sutton lost in the play-offs to Boreham Wood. Last season was always going to be difficult to match and it was made even harder when Wright sustained a serious knee injury back in September, ruling him out for the remainder of this season.
In March, Doswell, 52, said he’d be temporarily leaving his post as manager due to personal reasons. His assistant Ian Baird took the reins until the end of the season.
“I’ve been putting everything into the job here for 11 years and I do need to take a break now,” said Doswell.
However, heading into the final week of the season, it was announced that he would not be returning to his role as U’s manager and he has since taken charge of Havant & Waterlooville.
He said: “I’ve taken the hardest decision in my life to leave Sutton United at this time and it’s been extremely difficult to make, but, ultimately, after 11 years of travelling two hours there and back sometimes four times a week it’s become impossible for me to keep going.
“It’s been the most incredible journey and one I have put my heart and soul into. Why the club became such a huge part of my life was simply down to a magnificent chairman, board of directors and the numerous quite brilliant volunteers and supporters that help make this most unique club what it is.
“Its core values, and everyone working together, and no one person is more important than any other, is something I’ve never seen at any other football club.
“I will treasure that feeling of togetherness and support and feel immensely proud of what we all achieved together.
“I am convinced the club has strong and deep foundations to continue its fine progress and the move to being a true community football club will continue to bring rich dividends, and I leave the club very sad but also very proud.”
Perhaps U’s chairman Bruce Elliott summed up best the impact Doswell had made in more than a decade at the helm.
He said: ‘How do you begin to pay tribute to Dos’s contribution to Sutton United over the past 11 years? We were at a low ebb when he joined us, when if you had said that we would within ten years be playing clubs such as Leyton Orient, Hartlepool and Tranmere as equals you would probably have been laughed at, but it has been an unforgettable ride, including two league championships, our highest ever league placing and, of course, an experience in the FA Cup the like of which we have never seen before and may never see again.
“Together with fulfilling his vision of having a pitch where the club’s teams could all play, and which could be opened to the community, he leaves the club in a position that was barely conceivable when he took over.
“His enthusiasm and commitment to Sutton United has been remarkable, and he has pulled everyone at the club along with him in his desire to be the best that we can be at our level.
“We are very sad that he has made this decision, but fully understand his reasons for doing so and wish him and his family, which we know is so important to him, every happiness in the future, although we hope we will still see him, and them, at a club where they will always be welcome.”