Academy chief handed top job

Ilkeston FC have named Paul Holland as their new head coach for the 2016-17 EVO-STIK Northern Premier League campaign.

The former Mansfield Town manager was unveiled at lunchtime on Monday as the successor to Andy Watson following his departure at the end of the season.

Holland, pictured, has been with the Robins since the club was reformed in 2010 as a tutor and coach. Last year, he took over as the director of the famed academy at the New Manor Ground and along with youth team boss Steve Welsh, helped guide the club's U18s to the third round of the FA Youth Cup.

As a player, Holland made more than 300 appearances in the Football League for Mansfield, Sheffield United, Chesterfield and Bristol City.

Now 42, the club's new head coach was also capped twice by England U21s, playing alongside the likes of David Beckham and Robbie Fowler before his career was cut short at the age of 27 in 2000 when he suffered a serious knee injury.

Holland took his first steps in management as number two to Peter Shirtliff and Billy Dearden at Mansfield before managing the Stags himself at the end of the 2007-08 campaign following their departures.

In a statement announcing Holland's appointment, Ilkeston chief executive Nigel Harrop said: "These are exciting times for Ilkeston as Paul brings a wealth of football knowledge to the first team. He knows the club inside out, having been involved with the academy scholars since his arrival.

"Being able to promote from within shows the quality we have at the club. When the head coach position became vacant, Paul came to me with his own strong ideas of how to take the club forward, using a mixture of experienced players and academy scholars."

Holland told the EVO-STIK NPL Premier Division club's fans: "I've been at the club for five years now and seen things from behind the scenes. Kevin Wilson came in and set the club up from nothing and did a great job. Gavin Strachan and Andy Watson carried on that tradition.

"The first team at any club is always the most important team and it's important to the fans that they have a successful first team as well as a successful academy. The academy is obviously a massive part of the football club, but to move the first team forward, we need to bring in some senior players alongside the elite of our academy.

"You can't win everything with kids, the model works in that we try and move players on, but we do need to bring senior players in to help the younger players. If you've got the right players and the right experience around them, then I'm sure we can get the first team where it needs to be."

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