Ryan Laight will be barking orders from the Stocksbridge dugout this season
Experienced defender Ryan Laight will be Chris Hilton’s assistant manager at Stocksbridge Park Steels this season.
Laight replaces Mark ‘Willy’ Wilson, who recently left the Bracken Moor outfit to continue his long and illustrious playing career.
Laight, a former Barnsley defender, was Stocksbridge’s captain last season in the Evo Stik Division One South.
Steels chief Hilton told Non League Yorkshire: “Ryan wanted to step up and he’s the ideal candidate because he coaches for a living.
“He coaches at Sheffield United, he coaches at Colleges and various other places so he has all the contacts needed.
“He’s wants to do more coaching and less playing so when I offered him the position he jumped at the chance.
“He will be registered, but he won’t be a starter. He’ll play when we need him.”
On Wilson’s departure, he added: “Willy wants to play so unfortunately he has left us.
“We haven’t fallen out, we’re still good mates. We just had to make the right decision for Stocksbridge and ourselves.”
Hilton will also be joined by another new face in the dugout as vastly-experienced midfielder Lee Thompson has been appointed as player/coach.
The management line-up will be Hilton, Laigh, Thompson and fitness coach/physio Shaun Handisides.