Millers back new number two

By David Watters

Aveley

Aveley manager Justin Gardner is tipping his new head coach Adam Flanagan to quickly turn around the Ryman North club's fortunes.

The former Dartford and Dagenham & Redbridge player was appointed on Wednesday following the departure of Glenn Robson. He has a wealth of experience in Non-League having started his career in the youth set up at Gillingham, before later playing for the likes of Billericay, Hastings and Folkestone Invicta.

Millers manager Gardner is backing 'Flanners' as he is affectionately known around the club, to make an immediate impact and help end a poor run of results that has seen them slip to ninth in the table having won only two of their last eight outings in the league and cup.

Aveley have gone out of both the FA Cup and FA Trophy to Canvey Island and Hythe respectively in recent weeks and Gardner insists his former defensive coach has also the attributes needed to be a great success alongside him at Field Mill.

Gardner said: "Flanners is someone I think will step up well into the role and he brings to the players a wealth of experience that you can’t buy in football. He will have a far more hands on approach than he ever had before working as my defensive coach and I’m really looking forward to working more closely with him.

"Due to recent results I felt that there was something that had to change. I hope that now we’ve promoted Flanners to head coach that it will have an effect on the players and results on the pitch, because we want to turn this difficult run of results around as soon as possible.”

After announcing the appointment this week, a club spokesman also thanked their outgoing first team coach Robson for his work. "Justin Gardner and the rest of the Aveley players and staff would like to thank Glenn Robson for his contribution to the club in his time with the Millers and we wish him all the best in the future," said the spokesman.

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