Hilton heading into a fifth season

Hilton, his number two Lee Thompson, first team coach Ryan Laight, goalkeeping coach Nigel Hanks and physio Shaun Handisides all agreed new deals on Tuesday to carry on at the Look Local Stadium when the new EVO-STIK League East Division kicks off in August.

Stocksbridge Park Steels vice-chairman Graham Furness, pictured alongside Hilton, told nonleagueyorkshire.com: “Chris is the mainstay of the club, we play attractive football and for the budget we have, some of our performances have been exceptional for the last four years. 

“He has done everything the club has for asked of him in the last four years. He came in to steady the ship and he steadied it. Then he improved the team. He did well last season until the last six weeks when the weather hit everyone."

He added: “When we appointed him there were other young managers out there doing well but we looked at what he was doing with Worsbrough with no money and we thought ‘he’s the one for us’ and it has proved to be the right appointment."

Steels also signed prolific Pontefract Collieries striker Aaron Moxam on Tuesday to boost their firepower up front and assistant manager Thompson told fans via the Steels website that the touchline team's next target was promotion.

"I’ve found it really easy moving into the coaching side of football thanks to the experience helping me along the way with Chris, Ryan and Shaun," said the former Sheffield United star. "We have had a successful couple off years and now is the time to step on and show how good we are and really push on to achieve our end goal, promotion."

He added: "It's a massive honour to be given the assistant manager role at such a well thought after club like Stocksbridge and I’m still not finished as a player. Chris knows whenever I’m needed, I’m more than willing to be there."

Images courtesy of stocksbridgeps.co.uk

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