Holwell Sports unveil Andy Gray as new manager

Holwell Sports have today confirmed the appointment of former Heather St John's and Ashby Ivanhoe boss Andy Gray as their new first team manager.
Holwell Sports chairman Graham Lewin (left) welcomes new manager Andy Gray EMN-180117-094326002Holwell Sports chairman Graham Lewin (left) welcomes new manager Andy Gray EMN-180117-094326002
Holwell Sports chairman Graham Lewin (left) welcomes new manager Andy Gray EMN-180117-094326002

Gray takes over from John Webster who resigned in November with the club struggling near the foot of the East Midlands Counties League.

In the coming weeks Gray will work with Ryan Peacock and Graham Wells who have looked after the team during the search for a permanent successor.

His immediate task is to steer Holwell away from a relegation battle with Sports still languishing in the bottom three despite two wins out of five since Webster’s resignation.

Gray, who lives in Barwell, comes with a strong pedigree in local football having played for nearly 20 years in the county for teams including Barwell, United Collieries, Earl Shilton Albion and Heather St John’s.

Andy started his managerial career in 1999 with Downes FC and then Ibstock Welfare in the Leicestershire Senior League where his charges reached the quarter-finals of the Rolleston Cup, semi-finals of the Beacon Bitter League Cup and final of the Leicestershire Senior Cup.

In 2007 he moved up in the FA league pyramid to manage Heather St John’s in the Midlands Combination Premier, guiding them to sixth in his first year and fifth the following campaign.

Consolidation in that league was followed by further success with a runners-up finish in 2010 along with a trophy treble, winning the Endsleigh Insurance Challenge Cup, the Leicestershire Senior Cup and the Tony Alden Memorial Trophy.

The following season, Heather went on to win the Premier Division and retained the Senior Cup before Gray decided to step down while on a high.

He has since become something of a firefighter for various clubs in the county, as well as stints at Coalville Town as assistant manager (2015/16).

Gray steered Ashby Ivanhoe to a highest-ever finish of third in the East Midlands Counties League before joining Shepshed Dynamo in the Midland Football

Premier midway through last season as assistant manager.

Holwell Sports FC Chairman Graham Lewin said: “We are clearly delighted to land a manager with such a wealth of experience in local football, and I’m sure the future of Holwell is now in secure hands, ready to move onwards and upwards in the coming seasons.

“On behalf of Holwell, I’d also like to thank Ryan Peacock and Graham Wells who have looked after team business since previous manager John Webster left.

“Both have acquitted themselves extremely well in the interim period and their help and assistance in stepping in has helped stabilise the club.”