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DATE: THU 25 MAY 2023     BY STEVE WHITNEY
Management Team Commit to Newly-Promoted Long Eaton
Long Eaton United have announced that manager Ian Deakin has committed his future to the club ahead of the upcoming Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central season. 
 

Ian Deakin Assistant manager Craig Swinscoe and coach Adam Campbell will also remain at the club as they look to build on last season’s success. This season, the management team will of course be joined by Ben Hutchinson as he also takes up the role of coach.
Deakin, Swinscoe and Campbell took charge of the Blues towards the end of the 2019/20 season. However, the trio only took charge of one match before the season was null and void. Then, after a few new faces arrived at Grange Park, the trio took charge of an undefeated 2020/21 league season, albeit only eight matches before the season was curtailed, but unbeaten, nonetheless.
The management team also helped push the Blues into the First Qualifying Round of the Emirates FA Cup, and the Fifth Round of the Isuzu FA Vase – a club record - before falling to unfortunate defeats.
With the squad eager to get a full season under their belt, the 2021/22 United Counties League Premier Division North season began, and Deakin’s Blues were evidently up for the task. Finishing the season in first place with 28 victories, five draws and one defeat in 34 league matches, pipping Gresley Rovers to the top spot by 3 points with a victory on the last day of the season.
Long Eaton also reached the Third Round Qualifying of the FA Cup that season, overcoming Holbeach United, Shepshed Dynamo, Coleshill Town and Bedworth United, before falling to a last-minute goal away to Stratford Town at that stage.
After clinching promotion the season prior, Deakin, Swinscoe and Campbell took charge of the Blues during their historic 2022/23 season in the Northern Premier League Division One East. The start of the season was quite unsteady as the Blues only managed two wins in their opening 12 league matches. However, an absolute heroic second half of the season saw the Blues lift themselves from 16th place into the play-off spots.
Hebburn Town and Stockton Town were the two sides that awaited the Blues in the semi-final and, subsequently, the NPL East play-off final. Two gutsy penalty shoot-out victories away from home after playing 120 minutes of football in both matches secured the Blues promotion to Step 3 for the first time in the clubs’ 67-year history.
With back-to-back promotions under their belt, and just over four seasons at the club, the management team have committed their futures to the club ahead of the 2023/24 season.In total, Deakin, Swinscoe and Campbell have taken charge of 109 competitive games during their tenure at the club, with 73 wins, 17 draws and 19 defeats in all competitions – boasting a 66.97%-win rate.
The addition of Hutchinson will only add to the knowledge and the experience of the management team, with future success hopeful for all involved.