New manager Dempsey is excited by role

WIDNES Football Club are delighted to confirm the appointment of Dave Dempsey as the Club’s new manager.

Dempsey returns to the DCBL Stadium having previously served as first team coach for much of the curtailed 2020/21 season.

The 33-year-old leaves Ashton Town after two spells as a manager, leaving Town in 8th place in the North West Counties Division One North.

He will be joined by assistant manager Karl Bell, Chris Stammers and Tony Dunne, while physio Ron Cook and kit man Craig Patterson will remain on board to comprise the rest of the backroom staff.

“This is an opportunity I’m really grateful to receive,” said Dempsey. “Firstly, I’d like to thank the chairman Ian Ross and the Board of Directors for putting their faith in me to lead this group of players and to progress the Club moving forward.

“I’ve worked at Widnes previously under Ste [Akrigg] and Kev [Towey] and I have a good understanding of the group of players and how we can push forward and improve on and off the pitch.

“I bring a backroom team with a wealth of experience and all three have a proven track record of winning trophies and working within a successful environment and we are looking forward to the opportunity to do the same at Widnes.

“I am massively excited to get going and be given the chance to test myself at a level where I will get the most out of my players week in and week out.”

Dempsey’s first game in charge was scheduled to be Tuesday night’s derby at Prescot Cables – but unfortunately the game was postponed due to floodlight failure.

The new manager’s first taste of action will therefore be Saturday’s home clash against Workington.

Meanwhile, long-serving right-back Jay Roberts was among four Widnes departures in the days after Steve Akrigg and Kev Towey resigned from their managerial posts last week.

Roberts, 26, has completed a permanent switch to Bootle.

He departs the Whites with winner’s medals in the North West Counties Division One, the Macron Cup and North West Counties

Champions Cup, as well as securing promotion to the Northern Premier League in 2018.

The club also announced the departures of

Levi Phillips, Mikey Conlon and Ryan Gibson.

Phillips signed this summer but has now moved to Mossley while Conlon has joined Ashton Town in the North West Counties Division One North.

Gibson has completed a switch to City of Liverpool after arriving at the DCBL Stadium from Runcorn Linnets in 2020, but injury and the Covid-19 pandemic limited the forward to just six appearances in a Widnes shirt.