WILKO IS BRACK IN BUSINESS
BOBBY Wilkinson has committed his long-term future to Bracknell Town after signing a whopping FIVE-YEAR deal to become their new manager.
The ambitious BetVictor Isthmian League South Central club have big plans for the former Hungerford Town and Wealdstone boss to lead them up the Non-League pyramid.
Chairman Kayne Steinborn-Busse has overseen a huge change in fortune for the Robins since taking over in 2016, backing the club to the Hellenic League title plus improving their Larges Lane ground.
But after losing in the play-off final last season, Bracknell say the first team has lost “significant ground” on their expectations this term.
Former Maidenhead United assistant manager Sam Lock was appointed in the summer but was later axed in October, and Mark Tallentire has been in temporary charge since.
Now, Wilkinson has been handed the reins to try and achieve Steinborn-Busse’s dream.
“He’s a very ambitious chairman who wants the same as me,” Wilkinson told The NLP. “It was a challenge I couldn’t turn down after I met him.
“He has shown me a lot of faith with the deal and I want to build a relationship with him like I have with all my other chairmen.
“At Hungerford I worked under a brilliant chairman and Peter Marsden at Wealdstone, and what we achieved there in a short space of time. He has the same drive as them and that’s what drew him out to me. I looked him in the eyes and I just knew.”
Wilkinson led Wealdstone to the National League South play-off final last season, with whom he also reached the FA Trophy semi-finals the previous year.
It followed a successful seven-year spell at Hungerford where he won two promotions, but now he finds himself at Step 4, although it’s a drop which doesn’t faze him.
Potential
“When I went there, you’re always thinking, ‘would I go backwards?’ but I don’t see it as going backwards,” Wilkinson said. “I see it as going to a club with massive potential to go back where we all want to be, playing and managing at the highest level.
“There’s no question this management team will go back to where we want to and hopefully we can do that with Bracknell. It’s going to be a challenge but something I’m looking forward to.
“I’ve learned a lot and I wanted to come back better. I love the game, I’ve missed not being in the dugout and training.
“When this opportunity came, and I had spoken to three or four clubs in the last few weeks, this one is the one that stood out for me, a couple of clubs were at a higher level.
“I feel like I can take this club somewhere with this chairman and these people.”