Melksham Town announce new joint managers after Mark Collier departure

Melksham Town has appointed Luke Ballinger and Dave Thompson as joint managers, following the departure of former boss Mark Collier last week.

Luke is a familiar face and a fan favourite, having played for the club for nearly 20 years and serving as assistant manager under Mark Collier. His new co-manager, Dave Thompson, is another stalwart of the club, having made over 400 appearances for his hometown team. He has also featured for Frome Town and Paulton Rovers during his playing career.

The appointments come after the club confirmed last week that Mark Collier had been relieved of his duties as First Team Manager with immediate effect.

In a statement, the club said, “We would like to sincerely thank Mark for his hard work, dedication and commitment during his time at the club. His efforts on and off the pitch have been greatly appreciated by the board, players and supporters alike. The decision has been made as the club looks to take a new direction and build for the future. We wish Mark every success in his future career.”

The decision followed a home defeat to Didcot Town on Monday last week, a result that left Melksham in the lower half of the table with eight points from eight games.

Pre-season expectations had been high, with the club aiming to build on last year’s eighth-place finish to mount a challenge for the play-offs. However, a difficult start to the campaign has prompted the club to make changes.

Mark Collier, who previously managed Chippenham Town and Swindon Supermarine, guided both sides to success during his career, including leading Supermarine to the FA Cup Second Round against Colchester United.

Pictures: Estelle Bowden, Starsphinx Photography