Neil Gibson back in football management with FA Cup legends!
Neil Gibson is back in football management!
The former Connah’s Quay Nomads and Prestatyn Town boss has taken over at National League club Altrincham on an interim basis.
Alty today parted company with manager Phil Parkinson and assistant Neil Sorvel with the club lying 20th in the 24-team National League.
Gibson will be joined at Moss Lane by long-time assistant Lee Jones.
The pair have already experienced success in the National League having kept Wealdstone up on a dramatic final day of the 2024-25 season.
However, in the same month came the shock news that the North Wales duo had parted ways with the Ruislip-based club by mutual consent.
A club statement said that Gibson and Jones could not relocate from Wales to Ruislip due to the cost of living. Cuts in the club budget had not helped the situation.
Now the partnership has another chance to show what they can do in the fifth-tier at Greater Manchester outfit Altrincham, known as The Robins.
A process is underway at Moss Lane to identify and appoint a new leadership team within the football department, but In the immediate term, focus turns to the crucial run of fixtures ahead and the urgent need to climb away from 20th position in the table.
Gibson and Jones have been given the opportunity to repeat what they did at Wealdstone.
They have already begun preparations for Saturday’s fixture at Braintree, where the duo will take charge of the Robins for the first time.
Speaking about his appointment, Gibson told the Altrincham website: “I’m proud to be here. When the club shared its ambitions and the immediate challenges ahead, I felt there was an opportunity to make a meaningful impact, and I was excited to accept.
“While the Board focuses on the recruitment of a permanent manager, Lee and I will give everything to move this team up the table and build momentum as quickly as possible.
“I know how passionate the supporters are, and I look forward to speaking with them more fully in due course and to seeing the travelling fans at Cressing Road on Saturday.”
Previous Prestatyn and Nomads manager Gibson, who lifted the Welsh Cup at both those clubs, is a former Tranmere Rovers, Sheffield Wednesday and Rhyl FC player who was also capped 12 times for Wales Under-21s.
Gibson and Jones departed Nomads in August 2024, three months after leading them to victory over The New Saints in the Welsh Cup Final.
Both soon proved they were up to the task of leading a team in Tier 5 of the English pyramid at Wealdstone.
Altrincham FC
Altrincham are best known for their history of giant-killing in the FA Cup, holding the record of knocking out more Football League sides than any other club that has spent its entire history playing in non-League.
They reached the third round of the FA Cup in four consecutive seasons between 1978–79 and 1981–82.
To date the club has recorded seventeen victories against Football League clubs:
NEIL GIBSON – MANAGEMENT CV
2007–2011 Prestatyn Town
2012–2018 Prestatyn Town
2018–2020 Prestatyn Town
2020–2022 Flint Town United
2022–2024 Connah’s Quay Nomads
2025 Wealdstone
2025 Altrincham
MANAGERIAL HONOURS
Cymru Alliance League/Cymru North champions 2007-08, 2016-17, 2019-20 (Prestatyn Town)
Welsh Cup winner 2012-13 (Prestatyn Town); 2023-24 (Connah’s Quay Nomads)
NWCFA Challenge Cup 2012-13 (Prestatyn Town)
UEFA Europa League participant 2013-14 (Prestatyn Town)