Atkinson named as new manager of NL club Newton Aycliffe
Former Sunderland midfielder Brian Atkinson has been named as new manager of Ebac Northern League club Newton Aycliffe.
The 50-year-old made over 160 appearances for the Black Cats between 1989 and 1996 before going on to become a regular with Darlington.
The former England Under-21 cap moved into coaching when he spent time with the Quakers school of excellent and also had a five-year stint as Newton Aycliffe’s assistant manger between 2006 and 2011.
A short spell as assistant manager at Spennymoor Towncametoanendafterjust three months after Atkinson agreed to work alongside former Sunderland team-mate Martin Gray at Darlington.
He followed Gray to York City after accepting a role as an analyst at Bootham Crescent
but moved back into the Northern League as assistant manager at West Auckland Town in 2018.
Atkinson will now return to Newton Aycliffe for the first time in a decade and he is relishing the prospect of taking the lead role in the dugout for the first time in his career.
After his appointment was confirmed, Atkinson told the club website: “I’m looking forward to it. I’ve been out of senior football since I left West Auckland. I’m looking forward to stepping up.
“I feel like I’ve done my apprenticeship because I’ve beenanumbertwo–I’vedone that more than enough now.
“I’ve done it at Darlington, I’ve done it at Spennymoor, AycliffeandatWestAuckland so I feel like I’m ready.
“Of course I’ve got great memories of the club and my timehere.ItfeelslikeI’mcoming home. I’m from Aycliffe andIusedtoknowAllanquite well and Danny [Mellanby] and all the committee really. So I’m just really looking forward to getting started.”
NewtonAycliffechairman Alan Oliver added: “It’s his firsttimeasanumberonebut therearenoconcernswhatsoever, none at all.
“He’sexperiencedenough intheleaguetoknowwhatbeing a number one is.
“He knows the club. He’s been here before. I think he’ll put smiles on the faces of the players. I think they’ll enjoy playing for him because he’s been there and done it himself.Myrelationshipwithhim made it easier, of course, but I know he’s calm and has great knowledge of the game and I’m looking forward to working with him again.”