Nwicker60
12-Feb-14, 08:08
Connelly chosen as club opts for local talent
Titchie declines joint concept and remains as assistant
WICK ACADEMY have moved quickly to fill their vacant manager’s post with the appointment of Gordon Connelly previously a member of the background staff.
The move will ensure a smooth transition at Harmsworth Park and come as heartening news to many Scorries’ fans, disappointed following the departure of Barry Wilson to Elgin City where he formerly did a stint as assistant manager.
Academy secretary and interim chairman, Alan Farquhar said that they had initially proposed a co-managership arrangement, with both Connelly and assistant manager Richard Hughes taking the reins but added: “Titchie intimated to the club he would prefer to remain in his current role as assistant.”
Connelly comes to the role with an impressive pedigree. After a playing spell with English club Burnley FC he became part of Jim Leishman’s golden era at Dunfermline which saw the club rise through the divisions to reach the Scottish Premier League, before Bobby Wilson took him north to Ross County where he spent 11 seasons helping the team to promotion from the Highland League to the Scottish League in 1994. Connelly played over 300 games for County and scored over 100 goals from midfield and then in 1993 he was enrolled into the Ross County Hall of Fame.
Connelly joined Wick Academy in 1997 and made 28 league appearances before moving to Forres Mechanics, first as a player and then as a player-manager, winning three, consecutive, Highland football cups, from 1999 before being sidelined by illness for a period. However he staged a comeback with several Highland League clubs before joining Ross County’s backroom staff during the club’s memorable promotion the SPL. The year 2012 saw Connelly return to Harmsworth as a member of Wilson’s backroom brigade. The new boss will make his home debut against or possible earlier, if weather fixture backlog matches, are fitted into a mid-week slot.
Academy is also delighted to announce the appointment of Ross Sutter as a first team coach and the club’s development officer.
Son of former Brora Rangers and Academy goalie, John Sutter, Ross started his soccer career as an apprentice at Ross County in 2008, playing for the U-19 squad before and injury forced out of football for a spell in May 2010. He returned to the game for a short spell with Brora Rangers until the bogey struck again, ending his playing career.
Undeterred, he opted to enter the coaching side of things and after taking various SFA badges became a part-time coach in August 2010 working with Ross County, the SFA and Wick Academy.
Two years later he moved to Massachusetts in USA after successfully applying to become the Mass Premier Soccer School of Excellence director successfully guiding two of their youth teams into the top spots in their respective soccer leagues.
Sutter returned to Scotland in 2012 and worked as a coach with the SFA, Ross Count FC and Wick Academy FC as well as helping Halkirk United in the North Reserve League.
Said Mr Farquhar: “He is currently working towards his UEFA B-licence.”
Titchie declines joint concept and remains as assistant
WICK ACADEMY have moved quickly to fill their vacant manager’s post with the appointment of Gordon Connelly previously a member of the background staff.
The move will ensure a smooth transition at Harmsworth Park and come as heartening news to many Scorries’ fans, disappointed following the departure of Barry Wilson to Elgin City where he formerly did a stint as assistant manager.
Academy secretary and interim chairman, Alan Farquhar said that they had initially proposed a co-managership arrangement, with both Connelly and assistant manager Richard Hughes taking the reins but added: “Titchie intimated to the club he would prefer to remain in his current role as assistant.”
Connelly comes to the role with an impressive pedigree. After a playing spell with English club Burnley FC he became part of Jim Leishman’s golden era at Dunfermline which saw the club rise through the divisions to reach the Scottish Premier League, before Bobby Wilson took him north to Ross County where he spent 11 seasons helping the team to promotion from the Highland League to the Scottish League in 1994. Connelly played over 300 games for County and scored over 100 goals from midfield and then in 1993 he was enrolled into the Ross County Hall of Fame.
Connelly joined Wick Academy in 1997 and made 28 league appearances before moving to Forres Mechanics, first as a player and then as a player-manager, winning three, consecutive, Highland football cups, from 1999 before being sidelined by illness for a period. However he staged a comeback with several Highland League clubs before joining Ross County’s backroom staff during the club’s memorable promotion the SPL. The year 2012 saw Connelly return to Harmsworth as a member of Wilson’s backroom brigade. The new boss will make his home debut against or possible earlier, if weather fixture backlog matches, are fitted into a mid-week slot.
Academy is also delighted to announce the appointment of Ross Sutter as a first team coach and the club’s development officer.
Son of former Brora Rangers and Academy goalie, John Sutter, Ross started his soccer career as an apprentice at Ross County in 2008, playing for the U-19 squad before and injury forced out of football for a spell in May 2010. He returned to the game for a short spell with Brora Rangers until the bogey struck again, ending his playing career.
Undeterred, he opted to enter the coaching side of things and after taking various SFA badges became a part-time coach in August 2010 working with Ross County, the SFA and Wick Academy.
Two years later he moved to Massachusetts in USA after successfully applying to become the Mass Premier Soccer School of Excellence director successfully guiding two of their youth teams into the top spots in their respective soccer leagues.
Sutter returned to Scotland in 2012 and worked as a coach with the SFA, Ross Count FC and Wick Academy FC as well as helping Halkirk United in the North Reserve League.
Said Mr Farquhar: “He is currently working towards his UEFA B-licence.”