New Wrens chairman rolls back the years

Evo-Stik NPL Division One South Rainworth Miners Welfare have rolled back the years to name their new chairman, writes Gordon Foster.

The new ‘man at the top’ at Kirklington Road is Mansfield businessman Kim Wright. He has filled the breach left by Derek Blow’s departure from the club in May.

Wright, who owns Mansfield Sprinkler Services Ltd, is the son of legendary 1980s Rainworth supremo Alan Wright. Wright senior served the club in just about every capacity except chairman and was a guiding hand at the Wrens for many years until his sudden death in 2002.

As well as having the club in his blood via his father, Rainwoth's new top man also played for the club. Colleagues say he's always shunned the limelight and instead has worked behind the scenes for a number of years without ever accepting a place on the club's committee.

Wright missed the first two games of his chairmanship through holiday - last Saturday's 2-1 FA Cup win at Sleaford and Monday's 4-1 victory over Hucknall. The results delighted Wrens boss Kevin Gee who said his new chairman is taking over a club on the up.

Gee said: "Saturday was just a case of getting a job done against a lower division side on an awful pitch where you couldn’t pass the ball or run on it, but at the end of the day we did a professional job.

"And the second half performance of our strikers against Hucknall was magnificent. Up to half time we were too predictable in terms of creativity, although Ewan Clarke scored a brilliant goal. In the second half it could have been half a dozen or more with our movement and our work ethic.

"As far as our supporters were concerned there may have been side issues after what happened in the close season, but that’s water under the bridge and what is more important now is that we have convincingly beaten a good footballing side who over the past 20 years have been a higher grade club than us.

Gee added: "That shows the progress we have made. We have a good group of honest players who work hard for each other and their discipline and organisation have made the difference between now and when I came to the club in November. There’s very much of a feel good factor about the place, which has only been heightened with Kim Wright's appointment as chairman.”

On Saturday Rainworth return to the scene of their best result last season, Coalville Town, where they won 5-1. Gee isn't taking anything for granted. He insisted: "That was then. Now I know them to be a very good side. I’ve had lots of reports on them and the word is that they will be there or thereabouts this time.

"But we go into it on a high ourselves and if we can still keep chalking up positive results from good performances maybe we will see a few more local people coming through our gates to support us."