New Management Team At Thame United (Contributed)

THAME United Football Club have a new management team. Former manager and Wycombe Wanderers legend, Mark West, returns to the Club for his second spell as manager from Ryman Premier League outfit, Slough Town.
West, who managed the Club when they were in the Southern League and took them on two memorable FA Cup runs, will be assisted by Steve Meredith who steps up from managing Thame United reserves, with Brett Chowns, formerly assistant to Mark West at Thame United, completing the managerial team by overseeing the reserve side.

The Thame-based trio replaces Richard Searl and Chris Penny who have stood down from their respective positions as manager and coach. Commenting on the changes, Thame United Chairman, Jake Collinge, first thanked Richard and Chris for their work at the Club:”Richard and Chris were brought in 14 months ago under tremendously difficult circumstances and have done a terrific job in keeping the name of Thame United alive. Their commitment and effort in simply ensuring we fielded a team, especially last season, should not be under-estimated,” he said.

The structure of the new management team is further evidence of the work of the Thame Football Partnership, a partnership between Thame United Football Club and Thame Boys and Girls Football Club that has been established with the principal objective of creating a sustainable, community football club on a single site in the town.
Collinge commented:”The new management team is a product of discussions between Thame United and Thame Boys and Girls Football Club. Mark has a knowledge of football and contacts in the game that are second to none in the town, but we were keen to supplement that experience with key personnel from Thame Boys and Girls to provide a ready progression for the youth of the town in to the senior side. Both Steve and Brett run sides for Thame Boys and Girls as well as being part of their Committee structure. Not only will their football knowledge and experience greatly assist the senior sides, their links with the youth section will enable that progression to take place”.

A key driver in setting up the new management team was Chairman of Thame Boys and Girls, Tim Green. Green commented: “In addition to managing the under-16?s, Steve is also vice-chair of Thame Boys and Girls, with Brett an integral part of the management of the Club. We all felt that with their commitment to local football and the youth of the town, their involvement with the senior side would be an ideal opportunity to put in place a framework that enabled the boys to progress. With his wider knowledge of the game, Mark West provides an added dimension to their football development”.

The new management team was due to take up the reins for the game on Saturday (13th January) against Shortwood United in the Sport Italia Hellenic Premier Division, but the game was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
The reserves travelled to Rayners Lane in the second round of the Challenge Cup, and were unlucky to be on the wrong end of a 3-0 scoreline. Weather permitting, the first game for West and Meredith will be the league match away at Wantage Town, today, Tuesday, January 16, with their first home game (at AFC Wallingford) on Saturday,January 20, (3:00pm kick off) against North Leigh.