Former player returns to manage Salisbury FC

Salisbury FC have announced the return of Brian Dutton as the new manager of the football club.
Following the departure of Steve Claridge yesterday, the Old Sarum-based club have wasted no time in appointing a replacement.

Dutts is well known at the Club from his time as a player at the Ray Mac, and he’s been a regular visitor ever since. 

The 37-year-old made over 160 appearances for Salisbury City between 2008 -2009 and again between 2010 and 2014, captaining the side to promotion. He returns to the Ray Mac after gaining several years of coaching experience.

Dutton, since retiring as a player, has worked at clubs including Bristol Rovers and Walsall FC. Brian is looking to work closely with the Salisbury FC Youth system and has long-term ideas he wants to integrate into the Salisbury FC Development side. Bringing unity to the pathway to give talent an opportunity to make it through to the First team. 

He’s looking forward to getting started and will be in the dugout this weekend when we visit North Leigh on Saturday.

The new Salisbury manager is delighted to be in post:

"Well, what can I say, it’s great to be back at the Ray Mac taking over as the First Team Manager.

Those who know me are aware I come from Yorkshire, but Wiltshire and Salisbury are my adopted home, a place where I’ve known the friendliest people and truly felt their warmth. My partner, Abi, gave birth to our first child in Salisbury just over fourteen months ago, and I will be especially proud to bring him to the Ray Mac to witness his local team, the mighty Whites, in action with me as First Team Manager.

Since finishing my playing career, I have gained a lot of coaching experience high up the pyramid working in roles such as Assistant Manager for both League 1 and 2 clubs. Going forward, this experience will serve me and Salisbury FC well. Since my last role as First Team Manager at Walsall FC, I have turned down several opportunities to return to football management at high levels, but I have turned them down in the hope that one day the Salisbury job would become available and when it did, I jumped at the opportunity.

My long-term aim for Salisbury FC is to produce a football team that the fans can be proud of and connect with. I want to acquire the best local talent within Salisbury and the surrounding areas, developing players to become assets to our club. We must also enhance our community spirit and try to reinvigorate the next generation of Salisbury fans.

Whilst we look to the future, it’s important to acknowledge the past and respect what has gone before. I take the reins of a football team that is in a healthy position in the league with some fantastic characters and talent within the squad. For this, I am thankful to Steve and his management team. Seven years is a long time in football management, and I hope Steve gets the reception he deserves should he ever return to the Ray Mac.

I want to conclude by giving thanks to the Chairman, Jeremy Harwood and everybody else who has played a role in my return to the club closest to my heart.

We begin a journey together as staff, players and fans. There will be ups and downs along the way, but if we stick together and show unity and determination, we will become an unstoppable force once more."

Chairman Ian Hammond was impressed by Dutton's knowledge and enthusiasm ahead of his appointment:

In welcoming Brian to Salisbury FC, it would be wrong of me to not firstly record a huge vote of thanks to Steve for all his work for the club since its inception seven years ago, with two promotions and a current league position on the edge of the play-off places. He will be a hard act to follow but I am sure that Brian will be fully up to the challenges that lie ahead.

In our discussions, he has impressed not only with his football knowledge and experience, but also his enthusiasm and drive to develop the Whites into a football club of which the city, the players and coaches, and most definitely the supporters can be proud.

I look forward to working with him and am positive his plans for the future will be welcomed by all.