Staffordshire outfit Uttoxeter Town has announced its new manager ahead of the 2020/21 season – the first person to take on the full-time position at the club since the tragic passing of former boss Dean Arnold earlier this year.
The Midland Football League side has revealed that ex-Sutton Coldfield and Romulus player Elliott Millin will take over the reins at the Division 1 club.
Having only stopped playing recently, Millin said he was “looking forward to the challenge ahead.”
With manager John Allen, he helped Churnet Valley go from playing in Uttoxeter and District League Division 3 to becoming title holders, domestic cup holders and 2018/19 Staffordshire cup holders.
Upon arriving at the club, Millin thanked the staff and volunteers at Uttoxeter Town for the opportunity as well as wife Adele and daughter Isabelle, but not before giving a touching tribute to 49-year-old Dean.
“It is with great pleasure I recently accepted the position of manager at Uttoxter Town Football Club,” he said.
“However, I am very mindful that the opportunity was only available due to tragic circumstances, and I would like to place on record my admiration to Dean Arnold for the fantastic job he did for the club both as a player and a manager.
“Dean was Uttoxeter Town through and through, and although I had only known him for a few years I could tell he was a genuine football man and had a huge dedication and passion for the game and the club.
“Through Dean’s guidance and unique personality the squad has thrived and developed a winning mentality for which I feel I can build on, and use these qualities and ethos to create a committed and successful football team.
“Dean and his team had built a very strong squad and winning mentality and it is my intention to continue to build on this and with it hopefully bring some success.”
Millin praised the strength in depth throughout the Uttoxeter squad, and also touched on the dedicated army of supporters at the club.
“I am privileged to have inherited a quality squad with huge squad depth; a good headache for any manager,” he continued.
“To have this many top footballers at the club is a further testament to the community spirit that exists and with an ethos to make the football played at Uttoxeter Town FC attractive, technical, enjoyable and welcoming for the players and fans.
“This also extends to the significant number of volunteers and fans who give up a large proportion of their own time to support the club on both match days and throughout the rest of the week. Thank you.”
Millin, who only moved to the area six years ago, said he was looking forward to leading the club and has high aims for the upcoming campaign.
“I think it is fair to say that up until the recent Covid-19 pandemic, and the subsequent abandonment of the 2019/20 season, the club were in an excellent position in the league and were quite rightly being touted for promotion.
“I see no reason why we shouldn’t be one of the favourites for promotion again when the upcoming season starts. Stuart Hall will be assisting me with this and I would like to extend my thanks to Stuart for all his support to date.
“I’m looking forward to working on the short, medium and long term plans for the club and I know that there is a great pool of talent coming through from the younger lads in the reserves and junior sides.”
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