LOYAL STOKOE GETS REWARD
DIRECTOR Ken Stewart revealed that budget cuts had caused manager Danny Holmes to quit Wimborne Town – but insisted replacement James Stokoe would have the tools to compete.
Stokoe, who has racked up more than 450 appearances and held player-coach and assistant manager roles at the Magpies, steps up with old mucker and former strike partner Mark Gamble drafted in as his number two.
The appointment was made within 24 hours of Holmes standing down, a decision that came as a “shock” to the Southern League Premier Division South outfit.
“We slashed the budget, like many clubs we had to and that was a factor for him (Holmes),” said Stewart.
“A few of the team he thought he had signed for other clubs, the players weren’t being that fair to him. I think he felt he had taken it as far as he could.
“With the budget cut I don’t think he felt he could get any better and I could understand what he was saying, as a manager he wants to kick on. Those were the reasons he gave and we have to respect his decision.
“It was a bit of a shock but we always part with people on good terms and we thank Danny for what he did for the club. He put in a lot of time and effort and did fairly well. He did his job and it was a good grounding for him to go on to something else.
“James has been part of the staff for a while now, him stepping up was always in the pipeline but maybe it has come two or three years earlier than we thought. He said yes right away, that it had been something he had dreamt of and he has his good mate Mark alongside him, a great goalscorer who we always felt would come back one day.
“We have a lot of faith in James, he has been with us a long time and has stayed loyal – you don’t get that so much nowadays. His family is very much a part of the club too. We think we have made a good decision.”
Wimborne recently raised more than £10,000 through a Go Fund Me page to help towards costs of fixtures and fittings at its new ground as well as bills during the Covid-19 shutdown.
But while times are hard, Stewart is adamant on-field ambitions do not have to be totally quashed.
“We are keeping it on a level,” he added.“We hope we can cope at this level, that’s James’s remit, and we will see where we go from there.
“James thinks he can manage with it, we have cut by a fair amount and in this league a lot of clubs pay a lot of money but we feel the budget is still workable.”