Hadleigh United manager Liam Scopes to step down at end of season with Darren Harvey from club’s cup-winning Brettsiders team primed to take over
Hadleigh United – whose winless Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division run has stretched to 11 matches – have announced manager Liam Scopes has decided to step down at the end of the season with his replacement having already been revealed.
The man who stepped up from being Steve Holder’s assistant, with the former leaving at the end of last term, will get a chance to help transition in another internal successor over their last three games.
A club statement from the side who remain in 17th place in the table ahead of hosting second-placed Fakenham Town on Saturday (3pm) read: “Liam has increased work commitments and lives some way away and so we have to, regrettably, accept his resignation.
“We are incredibly proud of and thank Liam for what he has achieved this season, under challenging and changing circumstances.
“He is to be replaced by Darren Harvey, currently a member of our Brettsiders/Dragons management team (who won their League Cup final last night!).
“He will be supported by David Thurkettle. Darren has been coaching at Hadleigh for 15 years including managing the reserves last season to success in the Suffolk Senior Reserve Cup.
“He is well known in the local community and much respected for his commitment to football in Hadleigh.
“We look forward to a smooth transition period over the coming weeks with Darren working with Liam and assistant first-team manager Ben Elliot, so that Darren is ready to take on the challenges of first-team manager next season.”
Saturday’s 1-0 loss at sixth-placed Walsham-le-Willows (Cameron Nicholls) was followed by a 3-0 scoreline at home to now fourth-placed Mulbarton Wanderers on Tuesday to leave Scopes’ side, which has taken on a younger complexion in recent games, to five straight defeats in all competitions.
Meanwhile, The Millfield club is seeking a new commercial manager with CVs to be emailed to: hufcexecutivecommittee@gmail.com or call chairwoman Tracy Croker on 07429 514740 for a chat.
