Meet the Managers Evening
 
The evening was compered by Notts County Commercial Operations manager Simon Fotheringham and he introduced Alan Hardy, owner of Notts County and Ilkeston Town Steve Chettle Manager of Ilkeston Town and Anthony Redwood Chief Operations Officer for Ilkeston Town FC. Assistant manager Ian Deakin was to be present but his wife had gone into labour and he was excused.
 
ALAN HARDY
Alan was asked why he chose to rescue Ilkeston Town. He spoke about growing up in Eastwood watching Eastwood Town playing in the Midland League against the likes of Ilkeston Town etc. and getting the football bug. He was contacted by Dean Nelson after Ilkeston FC were liquefied and asked if he was interested in rescuing the club. He had 24 hours to make a decision and decided he wanted to give something back and felt he could not see Ilkeston, which he classes as a big club, die.
Alan talked about the only drawback to dual ownership being that Ilkeston town could not enter the FA Cup.
 
STEVE CHETTLE
Steve Chettle then talked about the problems of getting at team together in three and a half weeks and added that it was a mixture of local players known to his assistant Ian Deakin and young players who have been released from Football League clubs. He went on to say how he was nervous before last weeks game against Uttoxeter but very frustrated after the game. He talked about how Uttoxeter had set up in a bid not to get beaten.
He said he believed the club was in a false position and he wanted to be part of getting the club to where they belong.
 
ANTHONY REDWOOD
Anthony Redwood was then introduced to the fans. As the Chief Operations Officer his job will be to be in charge of all the day to day running of a football club. He spoke of his eleven year experience as Academy Operations Manager at Cardiff City before moving on to Newport County. He was offered the job at Ilkeston by Alan Hardy and was impressed enough to leave his young family back in South Wales and move up to Wilford.
He finished by saying his aim was to make Ilkeston Town Football Club the best in the league on and off the pitch.
 
HONESTY AND TRANSPARANCY
Alan than added that he wanted to be honest and transparent like he had been at Notts County and he admitted that he wont always get it right but he will be honest with the fans. He ensured the fans that Ilkeston Town will not be a nursery side for Notts County and will have separate governance.
 
ACADEMY
Alan said that the club are too late to form an Academy for this year but will be looking to start up next season and he assured the fans that the academy will have no connection to Ilkeston FC Academy.
 
SUSTAINABILITY
Alan then said needed to be sustainable through sponsorship and commercial fund raising. He added that he had just employed a full time groundsman to look after the pitch. Anthony will be looking after the P and L (Profit and Loss account) and will be organising a supporters meeting to discuss fund raising ideas. He added the priority has been to get the club “match ready”.
 
CUPS
Ilkeston will not be allowed into the FA Vase as the deadline was April 2017. There are two cup competitions run by the Midland League which they will take part in and they believe we will be able to take part in the Derbyshire Senior Cup.
 
SEASON TICKETS
Anthony said they had only just add power reconnected to the ground fully in the last few days but they would be looking to get season tickets sorted in the next few days and they would be competitively priced.
 
DUAL OWNERSHIP AND PROMOTION
Alan reassured fans that Ilkeston Town could get promotion as far the National League before there could an issue with dual ownership.
 
NEW PLAYERS
Steve informed the fans that he had signed two new players. Curtis Hall is a goalkeeper from Notts County and former USA youth international midfielder Kristian Scott from Nuneaton Town.
 
MERCHANDISE
Anthony said that the club shop would used to sell club merchandise. They had ordered replica kits but there was a six week waiting list. The club shop would be up and running when the club had got merchandise to sell.
 
CONCLUSION
The evening was informative and relaxed and fans should be reassured by Alan Hardy’s assertion that he wanted to be honest and transparent. Everybody appeared to feel that it was a new start and the start of an exciting new adventure.