Joint boss stands down at promoted champions

EVO-STIK League newcomers Tividale parted company with one half of their management team on Wednesday.

Joint manager Stuart Scriven, pictured, stood down six weeks after guiding the West Midlands club to the Midland Alliance title, leaving Ian Long at helm.

Scriven formally took over at The Beeches in May 2013 following a spell as interim manager after stepping up from the assistant manager’s post.

The 30-year-old's first act was to bring Long in alongside him. Together with first-team coach Richard Colwell and goalkeeping coach Chris Walwyn, the Scriven-Long partnership led The Dale to its most successful season in our 60 year history, adding the coveted J.W. Hunt Cup to the championship and promotion with a 3-2 win over Sporting Khalsa at Molineux in April.

In a statement announcing his departure, just over a year after he succeeded Dean Whitehouse, officials at the newly promoted First Division South club paid tribute to Scriven and said they had only “reluctantly accepted” his resignation.

The Dale said: "With growing work commitments and the demands of a young family, Stuart has decided to retire on a high and with the club in good hands.

"Scriv is a Tivi FC man through and through and all of us here at Tividale would like to thank him for the huge contributions he has made both on and off the pitch in his six years and look forward to sharing a beer with him here at The Beeches when he visits with the beautiful ladies in his life - partner Ruth and young daughter Isla.

"We are delighted that Ian Long has accepted the offer to continue in his role as first team manager, with Richard Colwell and Chris Walwyn remaining in their respective coaching positions as the club looks forward to its first ever season in Step 4 football."