BIG-SPENDERS RICAY CHASING COWLEYS
MONEYBAGS Billericay Town have failed in their ambitious attempts to lure Lincoln City manager Danny Cowley and Dagenham’s John Still to pilot their promotion project, The NLP can reveal.
The Blues’ mega rich owner Glenn Tamplin, inset, has taken over as manager until the end of the season but knows to fulfil his promise to take the club into the National League he will need to hire someone with extensive managerial experience.
He parted company with Craig Edwards last month, who has this week returned to the game to take over at Kingstonian.
Tycoon Tamplin is said to have personal wealth of more than £45m and after becoming frustrated in his attempts to be involved at boardroom level at West Ham and earlier this season at Dagenham & Redbridge, he has promised to pour as much of his fortune into Essex club Billericay as it needs.
Town have made two marquee signings already – landing former Premier League defender Paul Konchesky and last week they added ex-Tottenham, Wolves and Fulham star Jamie O’Hara, 30, to their squad.
Their playing budget is already – according to the owner himself – around £20,000-a-week and TOWIE star Mark Wright, a former NonLeague player with Thurrock and Heybridge, is to buy a 20 per cent stake in the club.
Speculation has, meanwhile, linked the club with summer moves for ex-England strikers Carlton Cole and Bobby Zamora.
Now, a big-name manager is next on Tamplin’s wish list – but his search has so far been fruitless with Still, 66, and the Cowley brothers knocking back the chance to swap the top end of the National League for the Ryman Premier.
Mega money
Still, pictured inset left, confirmed: “There was an approach, but it wasn’t for me. That’s all I can say really.”
A Lincoln source said this week: “John Still has not been the only manager approached. Danny Cowley, main pic, and his brother Nicky were offered mega money to move back to Essex – and we’re talking mega money here, thousands more a week than they’re on at Lincoln.
“Most people would be seriously tempted, but they have a great job already and they want to see it through and take the club into the Football League.”
The NLP understands Martin Allen, a Conference champion with Barnet in 2015, is under consideration despite his poor record in charge at Eastleigh.
Meanwhile, Tamplin has apologised to Billericay supporters following the club’s poor performance against Dulwich Hamlet on Tuesday night.
“I would like to take full responsibility for the defeat as managing the mindset of my players is the single most important role I have within the club,” he said.