Southport assistant takes up Rovers role
SOUTHPORT FC assistant manager Terry McPhillips has left the club to take up an exciting new opportunity as Head of Recruitment at Forest Green Rovers.
McPhillips, 54, joined the club in October 2021 and leaves to take up the chief scout role for the League One outfit.
A striker during his playing days, McPhillips represented the likes of Halifax Town, Crewe Alexandra, Fleetwood Town and Barrow.
Liverpool-born McPhillips moved into coaching with Crewe and Blackburn
Rovers, before a year-long spell in charge of Blackpool in 2018/19, leading the Seasiders to a 10th placed finish in League One.
The Board has discussed potential targets for bringing a replacement in and Liam Watson said that will probably happen next season given we are at the tail end of the current campaign.
“Terry’s had an opportunity to go back into the Football League and everyone at the club wishes him all the best because he’s been brilliant for us,” explained Watson.
“It’s been great to have him, he has great knowledge, he’s a good coach with lots of good aspects. But we always knew he would get an opportunity to go back into the Football League because that’s where he’s been all his career.
“He’s going into the recruitment side of it and we wish him all the best.
“He rang everyone involved with the club and thanked them personally, which was a class act.”
Watson revealed Jack Bainbridge would be helping out with touchline duties on the occasions when he is not playing.
“We’ll sit down as a board and identify where we want to go,” Watson said of finding a successor to McPhillips. “It might be a little bit of input from one or two but we’re not going to do anything until next season, there’s not much point.
“Jack Bainbridge has an ankle injury at the moment and won’t be playing Saturday/Tuesday. He’s in an Academy job, so in the games where he’s not playing he will probably help me on the touchline, which helps his development as a coach and manager in whatever he goes on to be.”