Attridge in as Skem coach
SKELMERSDALE FC have been busy this summer, preparing for the new Evo-Stik Northern Premier league campaign which kicks off on Saturday, August 13.
Tommy Lawson’s side have bolstered their squad with more youth and have welcomed the return of former players to their coaching staff.
The manager revealed a number of former players have returned, including Rob Bodie, George Johnson, Tom Ince, Dean Astbury and Steven Attridge as a player-coach and he’s hoping the club can help them.
“Steve had a really good non-league career,” said Lawson.
“He played at Southport and he’s come back to us in a similar capacity and hopefully we can help him to become a manager in the future.
“He’s a likeable lad and he’s well-known around the club. It’s exciting to have him on board as part of the management team.
“We’ve brought a lot of players back. Paul McNally came in as a player-coach and went on to manage Runcorn Linnets so the stepping stone from Skem to other big clubs is clear.
“Andy Paxton is another one who went on to progress from a player-coaching role at Skem to become Prescot Cables manager. Hopefully we can do the same for Steve.”
Lawson was in high spirits as he looked ahead to the new season but he spoke with admiration of how Skelmersdale are a club which attracts both experienced and youth players.
“We must be doing something right at Skem when people want to come back to us,” he added.
“They clearly enjoy it and it’s because of the financial side of it – it’s that we’re doing it on the pitch and because we’re doing it in the right way.
“We help a lot of kids and we always encourage player-coaches”.