Former Workington Reds manager Chris Willcock is back in football after being unveiled as Lancaster City’s new manager.
Willcock left Borough Park after one season in which Reds finished runners-up to Warrington Rylands in NPL Division West and lost to Marine in the play-off semi-final.
He took over at his home club Stalybridge Celtic last season but left when the club was relegated from the NPL Premier Division.
Willcock oversaw first team training on Thursday night and will be in charge for Lancaster’s game against Hyde United at The Giant Axe on Saturday. As Stalybridge boss games against Hyde were tough local derby confrontations.
Willcock’s previous clubs include Mossley, Glossop North End – with whom he had major success – Ramsbottom and Workington AFC.
At Ramsbottom United he was the successor to City’s previous boss Mark Fell between 2018 and 2021.
During his time at Glossop North End, he guided them to promotion to the NPL Division One North as champions of the North West Counties Premier Division in 2014/15.
They also won the North West Counties League Cup and were runners up of the FA Vase in the same season.
As a player, Willcock played for Flixton, Warrington Town, Altrincham, Netherfield (now Kendal Town), Leigh, Mossley and Ramsbottom United.
The appointment concludes the club’s seven-week period without a permanent manager, during which time defender Simon Grand was in temporary charge, as was ex-club captain Andrew Teague until January 4 when he left to join Clitheroe.
Willcock is a permanent replacement for Fell who resigned on November 22 last year.
In a statement, Lancaster City’s board said: “Finding the right person, with the right experience of managing not just players but also the financial challenges of operating in this league, was crucial to this appointment.
“Chris has experienced all that non-league football has to offer – the trophies, the challenges, the play-offs and the pressures. It’s that wealth of experience combined with his player and operational management that secured him this much-coveted job.
“As Chris moves into his new role, the board will be working with him to ensure the right structure off the pitch that supports the manager and the team on it. That will include a review of board responsibilities and ways of working with an announcement due at the end of February.”
Willcock said: “I’m delighted to take the helm at Lancaster City – a great club with a great history and a great future ahead.
“I’m inheriting a strong group of players and a tight-knit squad, and it’s my aim to keep that team together as best we can through the remainder of the season and into next.
“I’m proud to be taking the helm for this next chapter of the Dolly Blues story, and look forward to working with the board, the players and the brilliant volunteers to take this club from strength to strength.”
He inherits a side 11th in the NPL Premier Division just six points off the play-offs. They are four positions and four points better off than Workington who they will host on February 17. Reds beat them at Borough Park 2-1 on September 26.
Included in the ranks are Brad Carroll and Nico Evangelinos, two players he knows well from his time at Borough Park.
