Wood's search for a new manager came to a quick conclusion on Monday evening, when the former Herne Bay and Deal Town boss Tommy Sampson was appointed as successor to Jimmy Gilligan, who resigned a fortnight ago.

Sampson, 47, brings with him a wealth of experience of non-league football, as well as being a member of that select club of managers who have guided their team to Wembley glory, when he steered Deal to victory in the last ever FA Challenge Vase Final to be played beneath the twin towers, as they defeated Chippenham last year in front of 20,000 people.

Chairman and club owner Danny Hunter can now happily relinquish one of his many tasks at Meadow Park that of picking the side, as he has done for the club's previous two matches.

Sampson had been on the short list of two names to be favoured for the job, following the walkout of Graham Roberts in July, with Gilligan getting the nod ahead of him because of Hunter's original intention to see a full time appointment of an overall football supremo to oversee all matters from youth and community football through to the first team.

"I'm going back to what we know, a first team manager," said Hunter, adding: "I am delighted at Tommy's appointment,and glad that all the speculation has been put to bed.

"I spoke to him several times in the summer, and a lot more over the past week or so. It was a very easy choice to make.

"He was really number one on the list last time, but the overall football thing swayed it Jimmy's way then.

"Tommy comes highly recommended, and he brings honesty, commitment and endeavour to the position."

Sampson has certainly lived the complete spectrum of football outside the pro ranks, and recalled, when I spoke to him earlier this week, how his first managerial berth came about purely by accident.

"I was nearing the end of my playing days when former Spurs player Terry Naylor signed me when he was boss at Tonbridge.

"Unfortunately he resigned two games later, and I was put in charge as caretaker-manager for the next six months. I hated every minute of it!"

Sampson began his footballing life as an apprentice professional at Millwall in 1969, in the formidable Cold Blow Lane days of characters such as Barry Kitchener, Derek Possee, Harry Cripps and Eamonn Dunphy who saw promotion to the old First Division missed by a whisker in 1972.

It was in the following season that Sampson, a defender by trade, made his only first team appearance for the Lions against Orient.

"I remember getting a right hander off Ian Bowyer," he remembered less than fondly.

A serious illness peritonitis wrecked his top flight career soon afterwards and he left The Den in 1975, joining Dartford, where he skippered the side, and his 247 games included winners medals in both the Southern League and League Cup.

Sampson briefly served Sutton United, Bromley, Tooting & Mitcham, Erith & Belvedere and Alma Swanley before his arrival at Tonbridge, and, after leaving there, he managed Sheppey United, once a Southern League force, for two years.

But it was at Herne Bay "a terrific football club" that he enjoyed some of his most successful times, winning the Kent League title four times in seven seasons.

"I was full time at Herne Bay, but the chairman left, giving me six months notice, and things went rapidly downhill after that," he said.

There was a similar story to be told at Deal, where an ambitious board put in place plans to transform the club into a full sports and leisure facility, before problems with finance and planning put paid to such ambitions.

But there was always that great day out at Wembley, and Sampson stated: "I've lived my dream I've walked out at Wembley and won."

But Sampson revealed that he has never managed at Ryman League level, and sees the Wood job as an ideal opportunity to "build my reputation outside Kent", where he has spent the majority of his career and where he still lives.

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"I want to go as far as I can," he said, adding: "I want to manage in the Conference. I'm a non-league man, and I know non-league football."

I asked him if the recent managerial merry-go-round at Meadow Park, which sees Sampson as Wood's fourth boss since Christmas, and their sixth in 26 months, worries him at all.

Predictably, he replied: "Not at all! I start work with a clean slate, and can't worry about what's gone on before me."

Just before leaving to watch a hastily arranged first team versus reserves closed doors trial match at Meadow Park on Tuesday evening, Sampson remarked ominously: "I'll soon see who wants to play and who doesn't. But I like to manage with a sense of humour.

"I'm one of the hardest working non-league managers you'll find, and I'll do it my way regardless.

"I tell you there will only be one winner here and that's the gaffer!"

"I know about seven or eight of the Wood squad I've seen people like Wotton, Engwell and Harvey play before, but I'll have to make up my mind about the others.

"All I know is that I've got a piece of paper with 21 names on it, and that's too many, and over the next month or so I've got to look at things.

"I've got a couple of long term injuries Delisser's broken his leg and Mason's had an operation, but maybe we'll have to prune things a bit too.

"I hate inconsistancy you won't see my teams playing one way one week, and another way the next.

"Over a six month period I want to see people establish themselves, and I want a squad of 16 to 18 players all of which are potential first teamers.

"I don't want two separate clubs. I want to see initiative."

October 18, 2001 10:44

By DAVE RAWLINGS