Garforth Town chairman Brian Close (left) and his head coach Graham Nicholas with the Nostell Tournament Trophy last August
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Graham Nicholas has done an excellent job as head coach of Garforth Town since taking charge last summer, his chairman Brian Close has said.
Nicholas is expected to meet with Close tomorrow evening to confirm that he will be at the helm in August for Garforth’s second season back in the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division.
Despite starting the role without any players late in pre-season and then operating on an almost non-exist budget, Nicholas, in his first managerial position, was able to guide Garforth into a comfortable mid-table position so Close has been very happy with his manager’s performance.
“Well Graham has done a fantastic job this season,” he said.
“He came in with not many weeks to go until the start of the season so he didn’t have much time to get the squad together.
“We did use a lot of players, but he has now a core of players and a couple of rough diamonds such as Nick Black and Andy Hawksworth.
“We feel we have a nucleus of a team for next season now. There will be a few players having to leave because of circumstances like some of the Leeds Met and American lads.
“Graham has certainly done better than we expected, considering the circumstances in which he started the job.
“It was all about consolidation and we have done well. There are a lot of good sides in this league and sides which have been together longer than ours.
“A lot of people thought we would get relegated and we have proved them wrong.”
Nicholas has stemmed the decline of the Miners which began two years ago.
Years of success built up by previous owner Simon Clifford began to tumble down and the club, celebrating its 50th anniversary this summer, were driven to the brink of extinction during a torrid season in the Evo Stik Division One North – one that ended in relegation.
Garforth were even at one point ‘embargoed’ from playing home games by the Evo Stik.
But it was during those 12 months, Clifford sought help from former Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe and the latter soon became the club’s owner.
However, as Oxford-based businessman Lowe had and still hasn’t any desire to actively run a football club, Garforth’s position was uncertain until the Richmond International Academic Soccer Academy, who have a similar partnership with Eccleshill United, stepped in with an offer of financial support.
RIASA’s proposal was to run a reserve side full of American students and have a local-based committee run the actual club.
Lowe accepted it and the deal paved the way for Close, who believes RIASA are owed a debt of gratitude, and his fellow volunteers to return after a year-long exile.
The same set-up is expected to continue next season and Close added: “RIASA are effectively the saviours of the club.
“If it wasn’t for them I don’t know where the club would be now?
“We’re in talks with Rupert Lowe and RIASA about next season and it looks like it is business as usual.
“We’re happy working with RIASA and we look forward to working with them again next season.”