Ex-U’s boss returns to the dugout

Former Hastings United boss John Maggs has returned to management with Crawley Down Gatwick. Picture by Terry S. Blackman

As reported by www.isthmian.co.uk, Maggs is on a mission to preserve Crawley Down’s league status after returning to the Anvils yesterday (Friday) morning to replace departed manager Francis Vines.

The Ryman Division One South club parted company with Vines on Thursday night in the wake of their 10-0 drubbing 24 hours earlier at the hands of league leaders Peacehaven & Telscombe.

Former Carshalton Athletic, Basingstoke Town, Farnborough Town and Crawley boss Vines, who succeeded Simon Wormull at The Haven Sportsfield in December, had failed to win a match during his three months at the helm, losing 12 games and drawing two.

The vastly experienced Maggs stood down as Anvils manager last summer and will be at the helm for today’s crunch game away to fellow strugglers Redhill, with the second-from-bottom club in serious danger of relegation and a return to the Sussex County League.

Former Horsham and Crawley Town manager Maggs took over at Hastings in late August only to be sacked after five months in charge with United lying fourth in Ryman Division One South.

Although delighted to be back, Maggs knows he faces the toughest of challenges in the remaining weeks of the campaign. He said: “Time is against us because of the signing deadline being Monday, but I will do everything in my power to get enough players in to see if we can get four or five wins which might keep us up.”

Maggs will return to The Pilot Field with Crawley Down on the final day of the season, Saturday April 26. Hastings were 6-2 winners in the reverse fixture on Tuesday March 18.