Welshpool Man Takes Newtown Reins

07/08/2010 @ 02:28

Welshpool based, former TNS boss Dr Andy Cale is the new Manager of Newtown AFC.
He will take charge of today's game against Northwich Victoria and will be assisted by club captain Gavin Cadwallader.

The vastly experienced coach, who works full time for the English FA, answered an appeal from club chairman Mike Jones to return to the game.

After securing a fifth Welsh Premier title in three separate spells with TNS, Cale called time on his role with the club after the final league game of last season, with Mike Davies taking up the responsibility of first team manager.

He had returned to the club as first team coach when former manager Ken McKenna left in 2008 and led the club to their first Welsh Premier title for three years.

Cale, who works for the English FA, was also previously manager at Rhyl. In addition to holding the Pro Licence, Cale is educational adviser and sports psychologist to the English FA.

He has spent the last month working alongside Manager Noel Blake with the England Under-19 squad which lost at the semi-final stages to Spain in the European Championships in France.

At the FA he is responsible for research and development into coach education and player development with specific oversight of all aspects of sports psychology support and course design, performance analysis and international team administration services.

The chairman described the arrival of Cale as a major coup after the surprise departure of Darren Ryan. "With the season only a week away who could have possibly foreseen the happenings of the past week," he said.

"We have had five or six genuine enquiries about the job but being able to appoint a man of Andy Cale's credentials so quickly is an unbelievable boost for Newtown Football Club.

"His abilities are unquestionable, his record in the Welsh Premier League is remarkable and we have appointed probably the most respected figure in the Welsh Premier League to take this club to the next level."

Cale, who met the Newtown squad for the first time this morning, will take charge for the game with Northwich Victoria this afternoon.

"I am really looking forward to the challenge," he said. "There are a couple of very difficult weeks ahead as I get to know the players but it does appear that Darren Ryan has brought a lot of much needed experience to the club during the close season.

"The club has a fantastic set-up at Latham Park and although evertything has only happened over the last 36 hours I am confident that the desire exists at board level to ensure Newtown's future as a Welsh Premier League club," he added.