MILLIGAN’S READY TO BRIDGE GAP

JAMIE Milligan admits taking his first training session as the new Bamber Bridge manager was a nerve-racking experience but believes the job was an opportunity he couldn’t turn down – even if it meant hanging up his boots.

The former Everton midfielder was still turning out for AFC Blackpool in the North West Counties League Division One North at the age of 39, but has now taken his first steps into management.

Brig have been without a manager since Joey Collins quit for personal reasons last week, so Milligan, a former player and coach the club under Neil Reynolds, has returned.

“When the job last came up I went for it but it didn’t turn out, luckily enough I’ve got it this time,” Milligan, who also worked with Reynolds at FC United, proudly told The NLP.

“I’ve been coaching for the best part of 15 years and got my badges. I was still playing for my mate at AFC Blackpool which I enjoyed but this came up which was too good of an opportunity to turn down.”

The role, for now, has brought an end to his time as a classy midfielder which started at Everton, where he made four first team appearances, followed by stints at Blackpool, Hyde United, Fleetwood Town, Southport and Stockport County.

He will be able to call upon the experiences of his 22-year playing career, but Milligan is determined to shape his own style and methods.

“I think that’s the end of my playing career now which I’m pretty gutted about because I loved it,” Milligan added. “You never know though, maybe I’ll get the boots back on!”

“I won’t be copying the coaches I’ve worked with, I’ll be my own person. The best I had was Colin Harvey who was my youth team coach at Everton. He was really good. I played under Steve McMahon, Howard Kendall, Joe Royle and Micky Mellon at Fleetwood. I’ve always studied how they are with lads and how they treated players.

“I took the session on Tuesday night and I was quite nervous, which I didn’t think I would be, but I think that’s just natural.

“I spoke to them about how I wanted them to play, different rules I’m bringing in, things like that. They trained very well and I didn’t expect anything different because I know they did from when I was there.”

Milligan helped Bamber to promotion into the Northern Premier League in 2017, but now the club is hovering dangerously above the relegation zone having played more fixtures than those around them.

“We’ve got some tough games coming up, so I’ve said to the lads what we’re trying to do will take time so we’ve got to be patient with it,” he added.