Freeman returns to manage in Ryman

By David Watters

Former Brighton & Albion favourite and Whitehawk boss Darren Freeman was unveiled on Friday as the new manager of Ryman South Peacehaven & Telscombe.

The 40-year-old, pictured, led Whitehawk on a meteoric rise from county league football to National League South in four years before parting company with the former Ryman League outfit in January 2014 as the most successful manager in their history.

In a statement announcing his appointment, Magpies officials said Freeman would work closely with existing head coach Tony Coade at Piddinghoe Avenue.

Freeman, who also turned out for Fulham, Gillingham and Brentford, will be joined by Ross Standen, who will act as assistant manager as well as goalkeeper coach.

Former Crawley Down Gatwick chairman Brian Suckling

Former Crawley Down Gatwick chairman Brian Suckling

At least one player at the Sports Park will be well known to the former striker who agreed to take over on Thursday night following a meeting with chairman Brian Suckling and other officials, his son Stacey Freeman, a centre-back at the East Sussex club.

Magpies chairman Brian Suckling said: “We are delighted to get someone of Darren’s quality and it shows we really are back in business.

"Tony is delighted with the appointment which he helped to instigate. Tony has done a magnificent job during a very difficult period for the club and I want to put on record my gratitude for his loyalty and professionalism which he has carried out the role of manager and head coach.”

Suckling added: “We needed to bolster the management side of this football club and in Darren, Tony and Ross we now feel we are in a position to move this club forward.”

Freeman said: “I’m pleased to be back in football. I’ve known Tony for a long time and we always said that one day we would work together. When I was manager at Whitehawk I tried to get him to join me there.

"I felt the time was now right for me to get back into football and I’m looking forward to the challenge. Over the next few weeks I will evaluate the players and I’m looking forward to progressing this football club.”

Image courtesy of www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com

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