Guildford City Plays First Match After Sacking Team Manager

Published on: 9 Oct, 2021
Updated on: 9 Oct, 2021

Guildford City FC plays its first match this afternoon (Saturday, October 9) home to Fleet Town after the news of the sacking of its team manager, Stuart Barnes, earlier this week.

Guildford City has sacked first-team manager Paul Barnes. Picture from Guildford City’s website, credited to Graeme Wilcockson.

In a statement on its website on Wednesday, the club wrote: “Following the departure yesterday of manager Paul Barnes, Guildford City Football Club can announce that Tristan Rees will manage the side, supported by Benson Miyoba, until a permanent replacement is appointed.

“The executive board and all at Guildford City would like to thank Paul Barnes and his coaching staff for their efforts and professionalism during their time with the club and we sincerely wish them all the best in their future endeavours.”

Rees is the under-23 team manager and Miyoba has been the club’s performance coach.

Barnes was appointed in January this year from Staines Town, the club he joined as manager in February 2020. At the time he said: “Our aim is to help create a professional environment utilising technology and modern tools, along with a forward-thinking coaching philosophy to aid player development and performance. It is an exciting time for all involved and anyone connected to Guildford City FC and I cannot wait to get started.”

The club has certainly grown in this its centenary year in a number of ways, which include forging closer links with Guildford City Boys and Girls Football Club, establishing a women’s team, an under-23 side, a new website, and all with significant cash investment.

And as reported on The Guildford Dragon NEWS previously, it aims to “galvanise the local community and attract more support for the club”. And this season it has introduced a Football for a Fiver scheme where the maximum admission charge is limited to £5. Concessions at £3 and children under 16 can attend free.

This has seen attendances rise greatly at home games on the sports pitch at the Spectrum leisure centre, but the first team’s performance on the pitch hasn’t been so great.

Will the team come together under its temporary managers?

Guildford City currently lies 15th in the Combined Counties League Premier South (20 teams), having won three matches, drawn one and lost four.

However, its under-23 team is top of its table, the John Bennet Under-23 Division of the Combined Counties Football League, having played five matches with three wins, a draw and a defeat.

Sacked manager Barnes brought with him a team of assistants and professionals that included an assistant manager, a first team coach and assistant coach, a performance coach, a sports therapist and two sports scientists. Supporters may now be questioning why such a a group of “experts” didn’t made the impact that was hoped for at the start of the season.

Guildford City are at home today (Saturday, October 9) verses Fleet Town, kick off at 3pm.

Click here for Guildford City FC’s website.

Responses to Guildford City Plays First Match After Sacking Team Manager

Brian Holt Reply

October 10, 2021 at 1:29 pm

The first game for caretaker manager Tristan Rees and supported by Benson Miyoba, was a very successful match for both them and Guildford City.

The team won beating Fleet Town 6-1, it was a very exciting and entertaining game for all the supporters, brilliant football from the kick off.

In the last five league matches they had only scored three goals, so to score six in one game was immediately a vast improvement.

In the match day programme Tristan Rees said his aim is always to get players to enjoy their football, and look forward to the game, and also said players operate better when they are happy.

He has only been in charge three days, but we saw what a difference in the players who were enjoying the game at last.

Thank you Tristan and Miyoba, I cannot remember the last time we scored six goals in one game.