A Swifts Return

Heybridge Swifts have announced the return to the club of former manager Karl Duguid- who will work in a joint managerial role alongside his replacement, Stuart Nethercott.

Karl, who prior to his managerial career made more than four hundred appearances for Colchester United, left the role for personal reasons at the end of April, citing the need to spend more time with his wife and children. But he is now "refreshed and raring to go," according to the club.

Chairman Gary White, speaking to the club website, explained:

"His departure enabled him to have his first real break from the game in a 26-year career, allowing him to spend time with his young family for an extended period.

That has allowed him to recharge his batteries and he is now back refreshed and raring to go and feeling he has unfinished business, given Swifts were in a play-off position when the lockdown took effect.

Karl returns at a difficult time for the club, with budget restrictions seeing many of last season’s squad departing, mainly for Canvey Island, and the new-look squad struggling for goals, apart from our recent 5-0 win over Hullbridge.

On Saturday at Soham we lost 1-0 in yet another game in which we should have got at least a point, so I’m sure and Karl will be keen to work with the existing management team of Stuart Nethercott and Michael Pulford to put that right and start getting points on the board once more.”

Karl joined the club in June 2018 and worked closely with former manager Julian Dicks, before taking the hotseat on his own when Dicks left the club to work with Slaven Bilic at West Bromwich Albion. His side were in fourth place when last season was brought to a premature end.