Workington Reds Ladies have appointed a former Tottenham Hotspur junior to their coaching team for the 2023/24 season.
Daryl Pocklington is a young and ambitious coach that brings a wealth of experience having previously working under the likes of former Spurs stalwart, Justin Edinburgh.
As a junior, Daryl played for Spurs youth teams from Under-8s through to Under-13s before a spell with Arsenal.
A move up to Cumbria and a series of niggling injuries curtailed his ambitions in the game, but his passion and love for football never faulted.
Based in Whitehaven, and working for a roofing firm, it is felt he will be a perfect fit for the Workington team who had been looking for a new coach.
Manager Paul Mackenzie said: “I am excited to see what he will bring to the club. It’s obvious that Daryl has ambitions with regards to his coaching career and I honestly believe that the next chapter in his journey will be a massive benefit to both himself and the Ladies.
“It is obvious that he is passionate about the game and about the contribution that he can bring to our set-up. He is calm and collected and has a warmth about his persona, which I believe will bring him and us great success in the future.
“He has a keen eye for detail and from our brief relationship, I sense that we are on the same wicket. There’s no doubt that we will benefit from Daryl joining us and I am absolutely certain that he will benefit from being with us in his development as a coach.
“I’m also pleased to say that Becky Scott will be continuing in her position as coach/goalkeeper coach for next season and the thought of the three of us working tightly as a unit excites me greatly.”
Having applied for the position, Daryl met with representatives of the club before being asked to run a couple of training sessions with the squad.
Pocklington said: “This is my first involvement in ladies’ football and being honest I didn’t know what to expect. I’m pleased to say that the ladies welcomed me warmly and quickly settled my nerves with their desire to be developed and commitment to training.
“I’d been to watch a couple of games at Derwent Park before meeting the s quad and I really liked what I saw. Women’s football is growing massively and i feel like the development of the game will give me an opportunity to develop as a coach.
“After a long hard season, I appreciate that the squad will be looking for a rest through the summer, but the new season can’t come quickly enough for me. I get a really good feeling about the direction the club is going in and the ambitions it has, solid foundations have been set and I’m sure really good times are ahead”
The Ladies have finished training now and are looking forward to signing off this season at their presentation night on May 19.
Mackenzie added: “We are going to enjoy our break and recharge for next season. We intend to offer some open training sessions between now and the start of pre-season training where we will be inviting anyone over the age of 16 to come and try us out.
“This will be advertised on social media nearer the time, but anyone wishing to attend can message the club via social media sites to show their intentions.”
