HIGHGATE United have moved swiftly to replace Ashley Pulisciano, appointing ex-Lichfield City boss Russell Dodds as the club’s new manager for the 2019/20 season.
Dodds has retained the current management team already in place, with Scott Rickards and former-Studley boss Lee Adams remaining as assistants.
The move comes after Pulisciano decided to bring the curtain down on four years in charge of the Gate – following a disappointing 14th finish in the MFL Premier Division and a 4-1 thrashing by Sporting Khalsa in the recent JW Hunt Cup final at Molineux.
Pulisciano will, however, remain at the club behind the scenes, and hands the mantle over to Dodds, who now aims for next season’s target of a top-six finish and for greater discipline within the ranks.
The club are expected to change the squad around during a busy summer, and will shortly be announcing their pre-season schedule ahead of the new season.
Meanwhile, the national re-organisation of non league football at all levels has been announced, with the Midlands Football League Premier Division being reduced to 20 teams.
As a result, the club will be facing longer away trips to new sides in the forthcoming campaign – with new sides in Newark Flowserve and Selston joining the division from the East Midlands Counties League.
The likes of Racing Club Warwick and Heather St Johns will provide more familiar opponents, following their promotion from MFL Division One, whilst Haughmond and Tividale also join the league following their successful campaigns in the West Midlands Regional League.
Gresley, relegated from Northern Premier League East, will be the other new side that Dodds’ men are set to face – giving Gate fans a trip to Derbyshire to look forward to.
