SOUTHERN Combination Premier Division club Alford have appointed former Crystal Palace and Wimbledon youth team player Glynn Stephens as their new manager – and announced a merger with grassroots club Galaxy.
Stephens, who also played for Chertsey Town, Dulwich Hamlet, Hampton & Richmond Borough, Molesey and Ruislip, and has been player-manager at Dorking, has also coached at several clubs, his last role being at Colliers Wood United.
Stephens replaces joint managers Jack and Matt Munday who left in May.
Alford have formally amalgamated with Mid Sussex League side Galaxy, who were formed in 2012 to improve the prospects of youth players.
The club will still be known as Alford, but will take on the Galaxy badge and policies and procedures designed to facilitate youth development.
A club statement said: “After an initial partnership which saw Alfold FC and Galaxy FC working together providing a pathway for all there was a lot of thought and reflection after a difficult year for everybody it was clear that we was offering two different pathways at the two clubs which went a little against Galaxy’s ethos of “Football for All”
“So a proposal was made to bring the two clubs together with one clear identity, one focused and driven committee.”