Gibbo and Lee keep Wealdstone in the National League!
Former Prestatyn Town and Connah’s Quay Nomads manager Neil Gibson has pulled off The Great Escape at his latest club Wealdstone.
Final day drama in the tier 5 National League saw The Stones haul themselves out of the bottom four with a 3-1 win over Halifax Town.
While much of his managerial career has involved winning trophies, a different challenge faced Gibson and his fellow North Walian, assistant-boss Lee Jones, at Grosvenor Vale, but they passed their mission with flying colours on Bank Holiday Monday.
Gibson took over at the Ruislip-based club in the London Borough of Hillingdon in late January. It was his first job since leaving Connah’s Quay Nomads in August 2024 having led the club to Welsh Cup glory four months earlier. He previously lifted the cup as Prestatyn player-boss in 2013.
When he joined The Stones, they were in the National League relegation spots.
In a tough start, Wealdstone claimed just one out of a possible nine points, but then came three cracking wins over Yeovil Town, Braintree Town and Ebbsfleet United which raised hope that the drop could be avoided.
The next three months brought mixed fortunes, but 1-0 victories over Altrincham Town, Woking and Boston United, plus a 2-1 success against Forest Green Rovers, kept Gibson’s charges on course to stay up.
Come the final day, Wealdstone were fourth from bottom and needed to beat Halifax while hoping Dagenham and Redbridge failed to win at Solihull Moors.
The Daggers drew 1-1 and went down, Wealdstone won 3-1 and survived.
Goals from Jack Cook, Kallum Cesay and Mustapha Carayol put Stones in control by half time.
Halifax – already assured of a place in the promotion play-offs – claimed a consolation just before the hour through Luca Thomas, but Wealdstone saw out the closing stages to record a famous victory.
Gibson’s haul of 28 points from his 20 matches in charge proved enough to keep the club in the National League for a fifth successive season.
Congratulations Neil, Lee and all at Wealdstone FC – not least Mr Gordon Hill!
WEALDSTONE FC – RECORD UNDER NEIL GIBSON
Played 20 Won 8 Drawn 4 Lost 8 Points 28
Feb 1: Solihull Moors (home) 1-1
Feb 4: Tamworth (h) 0-1
Feb 8: Gateshead (h) 0-4
Feb 15: Yeovil Town (away) 2-1
Feb 19: Braintree Town (a) 2-1
Feb 22: Ebbsfleet United (h) 4-2
Mar 4: Tamworth (a) 1-4
Mar 8: Rochdale (a) 1-4
Mar 15: Eastleigh (h) 3-3
Mar 18: Altrincham (a) 1-0
Mar 22: Woking (h) 1-0
Mar 25: Aldershot Town (h) 1-3
Mar 29: York City (a) 0-3
Apr 1: Boston United (h) 1-0
Apr 5: Forest Green Rovers (h) 2-1
Apr 12: Barnet (a) 1-1
Apr 18: Boston United (a) 0-2
Apr 21: Maidenhead United (h) 1-1
Apr 26: Southend United (a) 0-3
May 5: Halifax Town (h) 3-1