Coaching role for retiring skipper

The central defender's new role at Ashby Avenue was announced on Monday almost a week after saddened officials at the EVO-STIK League South's Whites announced his shock retirement from the game on medical grounds.

Wilkinson told the club's fans that he was keen to see Wright, pictured, using his extensive experience to assist him and his coaching team of Stuart Reddington and Martin Burnett following the massive blow of his diagnosis with a previously undetected heart condition.

Wilkinson said: “Wrighty has excellent knowledge of this league and he knows what it takes to be successful. More importantly, he’s Lincoln United through and through as was Chris Hall who we lost the services of at the start of the season.

“Chris has been very hard to replace. He was very close to the players and looked at things from the players point of view, as well as a management perspective. I know Wrighty will be very similar and will play a big part in Lincoln United’s future.

“I've known Wrighty for ten years having played with him and then managed him. I know he will add quality to the management team. Since I made him captain last season, he’s matured and grown into being a true leader and I believe he will continue to do this within a management and coaching role.”

Wilkinson added: “The news for the player and the club was a heavy blow to take but somewhere in this diagnosis there is a positive when you consider what has happened to other players over recent years.”

The EVO-STIK League's clubs kicked off a season of support for The Daniel Wilkinson Foundation earlier this month with the start of the Integro League Cup campaign.

The charity was founded by the family and friends of the late Shaw Lane defender to stop other players dying of undetected heart conditions following his tragic death at the aged of 24 in September 2016 after collapsing on the pitch during in the cup competition at Brighouse Town.

To support the foundation's aim of raising awareness and £50,000, clubs are backing efforts with adverts and flyers promoting its mission this term in the matchday programmes of all Integro League Cup ties until next April's final.

The late Hull City, North Ferriby United, Scarborough Athletic, Harrogate Town, Goole Town and Rushall Olympic star was found to have the same disease that caused former Bolton star Fabrice Muamba to retire from football in 2012 after collapsing during an FA Cup tie at Spurs.

The incident prompted the Football Association to team up with the British Heart Foundation to subsidise the cost of defibrillators for more than 900 clubs at Steps 1 to 5 following lobbying from a number of competitions led by the EVO-STIK League.

The FA announced in August that the initiative is being relaunched this season following its previous success when more than half of the clubs in the EVO-STIK League alone took advantage of the subsidy to purchase the life-saving equipment.

Find out more about The Daniel Wilkinson Foundation via the charity's social media channels and website: Twitter, @dannywilks5; Facebook, thedanielwilkinsonfoundation; Instagram, dwfoundation5; website, thedanielwilkinsonfoundation.org and via email at: contact@ thedanielwilkinsonfoundation.org. To donate, visit: http://mydonate.bt.com/charities/thedanielwilkinsonfoundation#.

Image courtesy of Lincoln United/Pitchero

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