More upheaval at Parkgate FC as co-chairman and manager leave

Co-chairman Kieran Gallagher has left the club along with manager Liam Kay and coaches following Saturday's 6-2 opening-day defeat to Staveley.

Gallagher joined Parkgate only last month after the joint managers Andy Dawson and Lee Whitehead left for near neighbours Maltby Main, with first team staff and most of the team following them to Muglet Lane.

The new co-chair, a former 'Gate player, quickly put together a new team and coaching staff with a view to getting Parkgate back on a stable footing and taking over the chairmanship from long-standing chairman Albert Dudill at some point.

But in a statement posted on Twitter, Kieran Gallagher said Albert had told him after the Staveley game that he would never let him take over the club and they should part ways.

Speaking to the Advertiser today, Mr Dudill declined to go into the specifics but added: "Myself and Kieran agreed on most things but there was one important point we could not agree on.

"This decision has been made in the best interests of Parkgate FC."

Kieran Gallagher

Gallagher, who previously worked with Kiveton MW, said Saturday's developments had come as a shock.

He said: "I was willing to put in a playing budget and make us a strong, competitive team, along with fresh ideas of making the sustainability of the club stronger for the future.

"We had a set of players arriving in coming weeks that would make us very competitive in the Northern Counties East League."

He added: "The hard work we have put in for three weeks to build a team has come to nothing."

Parkgate expect to appoint a new manager this week and for many of the squad who were on duty in their opening game to stay.

They play their first home on Saturday at home to Selby Town (3pm).

Elsewhere in NCEL Division One, Swallownest had a winning start, beating Worsbrough Bridge Athletic 1-0 with a second-half strike from Will Monteiro.

In the Premier, Maltby were on course for a goalless draw at home to Frickley Athletic only to fall to a 90th minute decider from Lee Bennett.

Swallownest go to Harrogate Railway Athletic on Saturday while Maltby are at home to Quorn, from Loughborough, in the FA Cup extra preliminary round.