Skidmore links up with Vics (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Skidmore links up with Vics

GARY Skidmore has joined the management team at Hellenic League Malmesbury Vics after being forced out of the top job at neighbouring Biddestone.

Malmesbury chairman Paul Neale moved quickly to snap up Skidmore after he was sacked by the Toolstation strugglers on Thursday night.

Former Malmesbury duo Graham Learmonth and Paul Rose are set to take the reins at Biddestone after joining the club's coaching staff in the summer.

Meanwhile, Skidmore will become co-boss at the Vics alongside his cousin and current player-manager Andy Wicks.

"The club needed some help for Andy and they rang within an hour of hearing I'd been given the sack at Biddestone," said Skidmore.

"Everything here is geared up to pushing on. Whether two people can work together as managers depends on the people involved.

"Andy has played for me many times over the years. He knows my way of thinking and I know his. We're very much in agreement the way we want to play."

Skidmore's Biddestone tenure was terminated by virtue of a brief call from chairman Martin Jennings after a long struggle last season and a slow start to the new campaign.

But it still came as a bolt from the blue.

"It was a bit of a shock," said Skidmore. "When results are bad you're always vulnerable but we had got together a better squad than last year and they were still bedding down.

"My biggest disappointment is that after two years of hard work at the club for no financial reward, they chose to tell me with a five-minute telephone call.

"I'm not bitter and I don't hope they get relegated. I've still got a lot of good friends there among the players."

Skidmore takes to the Malmesbury dug-out for the first time at Pewsey in Division One West on Saturday.

There's mid-week Hellenic League action this evening.

Highworth entertain Witney in the Norman Matthews Cup with a rollicking from manager John Fisher still ringing in their ears after the 4-1 loss to Carterton on Saturday.

"I'm looking for a reaction against Witney after Saturday," said the Elms chief. "That was hopefully a one-off so I'm not panicking but the players need to respond to that."

The fringe players will get their chance to shine, with Jamie Mills and Sean Terry out injured and Wayne Cleverly, Nick McRae and Mark Belcher all suspended.

Shrivenham will hope to fair better against Carterton when they make the trip in the Premier Division tonight.