James Etherington to lead St Martins

The Oswestry club revealed former Grimsby and Wrexham defender Etherington, 28, as the man to lead them in North West Counties action next season.

Park Hall-based St Martins admitted to a ‘difficult and challenging process’ to a whittle a ‘very high standard’ of 13 applicants down to six interviewees.

Kent-born Etherington, who studies sports coaching at Wrexham Glyndwr University, also had a non-league career where he turned out for Maidstone, Faversham Town and Welsh outfit Brymbo.

The new boss said: “I’m very excited to have been selected as the first-team manager at St Martins and to be given this opportunity at the club.

“This is a wonderful club full of good, hard-working and passionate players, staff and fans that I know I’m going to enjoy working with.

“There are big plans here for the future and I can’t wait to be a part of that and to work with you all, and together achieve the success we strive for.”

“I have great footballing experiences and knowledge which I feel I can bring to the club. Professionalism, hard work, passion are just three key areas in which the squad and I will be focused on so we can achieve the victories we need to get this club to winning ways.

“I look forward to meeting everyone at the club when it is safe to do so.” St Martins are hoping to improve on last season’s campaign which, after a bright start under former boss Paul Moore, unravelled and the club finished bottom of the NWCL First Division South – before the coronavirus pandemic meant the season was null and voided.

Etherington, the cousin of former Stoke and West Ham winger Matty, will also bring his own staff to the club, who groundshare with landlords The New Saints.

A club statement read: “James brings a wealth of professional and semi-professional football expertise to the club and a significant list of players he has contact with from his playing and academy coaching experiences.”