ALVECHURCH have sacked manager Ian Long following the club’s heavy defeat at Halesowen Town in FA Cup second round qualifying.
Long’s sacking brings an end to his second stint in charge of the club after memorably guiding Church to the second round proper of the FA Cup last season.
However, having won just two of their opening eight league matches this season, Alvechurch have opted to relieve Long of his duties following a 5-2 defeat at Halesowen in the FA Cup last weekend.
A club statement reads: “We have decided to part ways with our first team manager, Ian Long.
“Ian is the most successful manager in our club’s history so this decision has not been made lightly. The club feel that it’s better to make the right decision rather than a quick one.
“Our current assistant manager Richard Colwell has agreed to step forward and take the group in a caretaker capacity assisted by Steve Hensel and Matt Kirby.
“They will be supported by the existing, talented backroom staff of Neil Reeves, Dan Hines, Phil Langston.
“The club wishes to acknowledge the success and hard work of Ian long. It wasn’t an easy decision to part ways with the most successful manager in our history.
“However, for the sustainability of our football club, the role is more suited to a specialist player development coach rather than a traditional non-league manager.
“We would like to wish Ian all the very best for the future and we know he will be hugely successful wherever he goes.”
Long returned to the Lye Meadow dugout from Stourbridge during the 2019/20 season and helped the club reach the play-off semi-finals in the 2021/22 campaign.
He also masterminded a sensational win away at League One side Cheltenham Town in the FA Cup first round proper in one of the biggest upsets of last season’s competition as Church went beyond the qualifying rounds for the first time in 49 years.
The club are welcoming applications for the role of first team manager and anyone interested should submit their CV to the club’s Sporting Director, Mark Fogarty, at: [email protected]
