Prestatyn Town appoint temporary managers to guide club through next three games

Prestatyn Town chairman Jamie Welsh has appointed a two-man caretaker management team to guide the club through the Christmas and new year period.

Patrick Hamid and Andrew Ruscoe will take the temporary reins at Bastion Gardens following the resignation of first team manager Ben Heath and his staff yesterday.

Hamid, known as Paddy, has been part of Town’s playing squad since the start of the season, while Ruscoe had a brief stint as general manager of the club earlier in the campaign.

Liverpudlian Hamid, 32, has made 11 first team appearances this term, scoring twice and showed his versatility by playing in goal when Prestatyn beat Holyhead Hotspur 5-1 at home recently.

Usually a centre-midfielder, his former clubs include Skelmersdale United, Barnton, Cammell Laird and Ashton Town.

Wrexham man Ruscoe has been involved with numerous clubs in a career which saw him play as a goalkeeper with Chester and Cefn Druids, as well as Brickfield Rangers, where he played, managed and coached within a national award-winning set-up.

A past Wrexham Sports Awards coach of the year, Ruscoe has also played a key role in Futsal development in North Wales and was once goalkeeper coach for the Great Britain squad.

He is also chairman of FC United of Wrexham, who compete in the North East Wales Football League.

Although a number of players have left Prestatyn in recent weeks, chairman Welsh said Hamid has assured him he can gather a squad to compete in matches at Gresford Athletic this Saturday, away to Holywell Town on December 27 and home versus Ruthin Town on January 1.

“There will be a few first teamers who have played this season, as well as some of the under-19 lads who were involved at the start of the season,” said Welsh.

“We’ll have a squad of players who want to be here and play for the club for the love of the game. If that’s not enough for the fans, then what is?

“We hope the fans will come out and support a team of committed players, and including local lads who will be proud to represent the club.

“Paddy is very keen to make a go of this, while Andrew jumped at the chance to return to a club where he was general manager a few months ago. He’s got the qualifications which is a big help.”

Prestatyn are currently 11th in the 16-team tier 2 JD Cymru North but have won just one of their last five matches.

Welsh added: “Our aim is to save the club from relegation, keep the club going and then see where we go from there.

“But for now it’s about getting through these next three games, doing as well as we can, and then there will be a 21-day break to plan what happens next.”

While it is known that the club is facing a challenging financial situation, the chairman insists a lot of debt was inherited from past regimes and it has been his job to attempt to pick up the pieces.

“People have accused me on social media of trying to wreck the club, but I’m trying to hold it together. If anyone wants to come in and take the club over they are more than welcome to speak to me,” he said.

The chairman added that while there is a temporary management team in place, he would welcome enquiries from anyone interested in taking on the job in the new year straight away.