Newly created Windsor & Eton FC hope to appoint new manager this week

The newly created Windsor & Eton FC are in the process of appointing a new manager to run first team affairs, and hope to be able to make that decision over the weekend.

Mark Cooper and Windsor Youth FC recently acquired a 25-year lease for the ground at Stag Meadow, effectively making current incumbents Windsor FC homeless, and Cooper hopes to create a hive of activity at the ground in the coming weeks and months.

The senior team is set to kick-off their first campaign in August; however, the club isn't quite yet in a position to confirm which league they'll be playing in. Cooper plans to create a vibrant community hub for Windsor & Eton's youth teams, girls' teams, women's teams while establishing a veterans and disability teams. They'll be aided in these endeavours by the creation of a new artificial pitch which Cooper hopes will receive funding and planning permission to build in the not-too-distant future.

Windsor FC have seen their rolling monthly lease for the ground terminated and - should they wish to enter a team in this season's Combined Counties League Division 1, they'll have to find a new ground sharing option in the coming weeks.

Cooper and the team at Windsor & Eton have been grappling with several tasks over the past few weeks but also hope to design a new kit for the club to be released ahead of the new season.

“We're appointing a new manager this week,” said Cooper. “We've had 22 applications for the position from some great candidates. Pretty much all of them have been really credible candidates. We've been interviewing this week and hope to decide on that this weekend.

“We've interviewed four or five who we're really keen on. It will be from one of those that we look to appoint from. We're hoping to do that this weekend to give them three or four weeks to get a playing squad together.

“I can't give (the league details) to you yet. But the managers would do. As soon as I have it, you'll have it. We've also got pre-season friendlies lined up and we can put those out in the next few days. The kit designs will be out shortly as well. We've had a lot to do in a short space of time and we're obviously playing a little bit of catch up.”

Cooper added that his move to create a new club with Windsor Youth FC by acquiring a longer-term lease for Stag Meadow with the Crown Estate is not divisive, as claimed by Windsor director Kevin Stott. He feels the vast majority of fans are firmly in favour of the move and says that's been backed up by the messages of support on social media.

Meanwhile, preparations continue for this weekend's Windsor & Eton Youth tournament, which is set to feature more than 200 teams and over 2,000 players.