Corwen Football Club appoint Ben Heath as new first team manager

Ben Heath has been appointed new first team manager at Corwen Football Club.

Heath was, until recently, in charge of Cymru North outfit Prestatyn Town, but earlier this month was part of a mass player and management exodus from Bastion Gardens.

Tier 3 Ardal North East club Corwen has also installed Lee Pope as assistant-manager.

Both Heath and Pope are former managers of Wrexham area club Penycae and have previously worked together on Corwen’s coaching team.

A UEFA A Licence coach, Heath, 36, has playing experience in the Welsh Premier League, making a combined 56 appearances for Caernarfon Town and Connah’s Quay between 2004 and 2007.

He has also represented Northern Ireland clubs Cliftonville and Glenavon, as well as Warrington Town.

His coaching and management record include a spell at Wrexham AFC for five years working with the youth sides, and later Corwen and Penycae senior teams.

Heath stepped down as boss of Penycae in October 2019 after a two-year stint at the helm.

He took over as Prestatyn manager in March 2021 and the club sat in 12th place in the tier 2 Cymru North at the time of his recent departure.

A statement from Corwen FC today said: “Corwen FC are delighted to announce the appointment of Ben Heath as First Team Manager with Lee Pope installed as Assistant Manager.

“Both Ben and Lee have both previously been successfully involved with the club and we are delighted to welcome them back as we look onward and upward with the FAW Ardal Northern League.”

A former academy manager at Bala Town, Pope succeeded Heath as Penycae boss in 2019. He stepped down in October 2021 and was replaced by Dan Richards.

Corwen are currently ninth in Ardal North East. The club recently parted company with Guy Handscombe from the manager’s seat.

Since September, Corwen have had to adopt Bala’s Maes Tegid as a temporary home after a dispute over the use of changing rooms at their council-owned War Memorial Park ground.

However, the matter has reportedly been resolved and the club is set to return to its long-time base once the league resumes after the current suspension by the FAW due to Covid is over.