South Shields have confirmed former Gateshead and MK Dons assistant manager Ian Watson as their new manager.

Watch South Shields have confirmed former Gateshead and MK Dons assistant manager Ian Watson as their new manager. - Shields Gazette on Dailymotion

Transcript

00:00So South Shields have a new manager, Ian Watson, named as the replacement for Elliot Dickman,

00:05who of course left the club earlier this month in the aftermath of the National League North season.

00:09There's no doubt last season was a disappointing one for the Mariners,

00:13ending with a really poor run of form, finishing comfortably in the bottom half of the National League North table.

00:20And there will be an expected improvement next season.

00:22It is Ian Watson that will take the club forward into the 2025-26 season.

00:27Knows the North East non-league game inside out, has a number of contacts around the region and beyond,

00:33after his time with MK Dons and Carlisle United.

00:36Of course, worked closely with Mike Williamson during that period of success at Gateshead,

00:41where they won the National League North title and reached an FA Trophy final,

00:45where they were beaten by FC Halifax Town.

00:47They also guided the heat into the proper rounds of the FA Cup on a number of occasions,

00:52reaching the second round of the competition before being beaten by Charlton Athletic.

00:57What shouldn't be forgotten, and this is Ian's first major managerial role,

01:01his first proper manager's role after being an assistant to Mike Williamson,

01:05but what shouldn't be forgotten is the kind of understated role that he played at Gateshead.

01:10He was big in the recruitment side of the club.

01:13He helped piece together the squad that took the club into where they are now, really,

01:17or where they were last season at the top end of the National League.

01:20A lot of the initial work that happened in the aftermath of the 2019 supporter-led takeover

01:26came through Ian's contacts.

01:29It came through his knowledge of the North East non-league scene, of course.

01:33He's timed as a player with Darlington, Spennymore Town, Blythe Spartans, Whitley Bay.

01:38He really was integral into what that success at Gateshead.

01:42He deserves probably far more credit than he actually received during his time at the club,

01:46but it was appreciated by people within the international stadium hierarchy,

01:51by the players, by Mike Williamson himself.

01:54Obviously, he followed Mike to Carlisle United, followed him to MK Dons,

01:58finished last season working at MK Dons as assistant manager to Ben Gladwin.

02:03But now, and you get the feeling from his interview with the Mariners' website

02:07that he is ready to start his own managerial journey.

02:11He will try to play an attractive brand of football.

02:13It will be energetic.

02:14There will be lots of pace and quick passing.

02:18It will be the sort of style of play that Gateshead had so much success with,

02:22and I imagine something for the Mariners fans to look forward to.

02:25There will be patience needed, of course.

02:27He is finding his feet as a manager.

02:29He will find his feet as a manager.

02:32But I think it's an exciting appointment.

02:35It's an ambitious appointment, and one that really works for both parties.

02:38Thanks.