Fotherby reunited with Reed at Ingfield

Former Leeds United chairman Bill Fotherby is back in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League and looking forward to working with John Reed again after being named on Thursday as Ossett Town’s new director of football.

After Leeds won the Premier League in 1992 under his stewardship, Fotherby went on to take over at Harrogate Town in 2000. Within a year he’d set the club on its way up football's pyramid when he appointed Reed as manager in the summer of 2001, Town winning promotion to then UniBond Premier for the first time in its history the following year before reaching Conference North in 2004.

Reed, a recent arrival at Ingfield himself, has been tasked with winning honours and promotion for the West Yorkshire club who are also hoping to develop new facilities and teams and move into a new ground within five to ten years.

Officials at the First Division North club believe Fotherby’s experience and contacts will be key to realising their dreams on and off the pitch.

Town’s Chairman James Roger said: "Bill Fotherby is a well known and respected football professional and we are delighted that someone of Bill’s experience and caliber has accepted our invitation to come and work with us at Ossett Town AFC.

"We have a young ambitious committee and with the addition of Bill’s significant experience, knowledge and networks we are in a good place to achieve our vision for the future of Ossett Town Football Club."

Fortherby, who stood down at Harrogate Town in 2011, said: "Ossett Town is a well established and respected Non-League football club and I am thrilled and excited to be involved.

"I have also worked with John Reed before and would say he is the best man manager and motivator I have ever worked with in football – Ossett Town have made a real coup in appointing John and I think this club has the key ingredients for success.

"I have been looking to get back involved in football for a little while and have spoken with a number of clubs, but none felt quite right.

"I have spent the last week talking with the Chairman [James Rogers] and Vice Chairman [Lee Broadbent] and have been impressed by their professionalism, commitment and vision for the future."

He added: "I can see a real opportunity to take this club forward and with their youth and my experience I really do think we can go places."