Hicks departs Rovers

Women’s Head Coach Chris Hicks has announced his intention to stand down from his position with immediate effect.

Tom Needham will take over as interim Head Coach for the remaining eight games of the season, stepping up from his coaching role after working alongside Chris the past couple of years.

On his departure, Chris Hicks said: “There is never a good time to leave a club, and I didn’t make the decision lightly, but I have to be honest with myself and with the team. I have mentored Tom for some time, and he is more than capable of stepping in and will be ably supported by the other coaches.

“The team are a great bunch with a lot of character and skill and have great potential going into next season. I am confident they will finish strong and build upon this for next season. I look forward to watching their progress and staying in touch with the team.”

Director Of Football, Rich Hughes, added: “We’re all proud of the work Chris has done for women’s football at FGR. He’s invested considerable time to make it a success and has been a driving force behind building a competitive team this season.

"I speak for everyone in thanking him for his efforts at training, games and his dedication during his time with the club. We wish him all the best for the future.”

Head Of Women's Football, David Hennessy, said: “While it may seem sudden,​ for personal reasons Chris was struggling to commit to next season. We discussed how best to effect a transition. It was agreed that having established ourselves in the middle of the table, Tom should step up and cut his teeth early and allow us to prepare for next season."

“I am hugely grateful to Chris for all his efforts. It was 18 months ago that we both stepped in to take the team forward. He should be very proud of what he has achieved in such a short time. I am grateful for his counsel and support over this time and have come to regard him as a friend. I must also make a special thanks to Chris’s wife Lynn, who has been a great help with the Team administration. We hope they both won’t be strangers to our matches in the future.”

Interim Head Coach Tom led the side to a 3-1 victory against Wootton Bassett at the weekend in his first match in charge. The team are now away for the next four games with their next home game on Sunday 20th February against St Austell.