Higgins: I want to make Mossley proud

new man at the helm: Shaun Higgins.

NON-LEAGUE FOOTBALL: NEW Mossley boss Shaun Higgins wants to build a young side of which the entire community can be proud.

Higgins (41) impressed the Lilywhites’ board with his close ties to youth football and beat off competition from four other strong candidates.

The former Stalybridge Celtic reserve and youth team manager can’t wait to make his bow as a first team boss.

He said: “I’ve been given a fantastic opportunity. I felt the time was right to test myself in charge of a first team and I’m relishing the challenge.

“When the club’s floodlights came down earlier in the year, the fundraising effort that followed brought the whole community together.

“I want my team to make Mossley proud and hopefully people will get behind us.

“There was a lot of interest in the role but I explained the way in which myself and the other coaches can bring young players through and develop their talent.

“About half a dozen of the current Mossley squad played for me at Celtic so I’ve already got a head start.

“Continuity is important. This side did really well last season so there won’t be an overhaul by any means.”

A UEFA ‘A’ license coach, Higgins played for Athletic as a schoolboy and later joined Hyde United before injury curtailed his career.

He then moved into coaching and had a two-year spell working at Stockport County’s school of excellence. He has spent the last three years managing sides at Stalybridge.

Higgins will be assisted at Seel Park by Paul Ogden, and is also joined by Matt Broadhead, who has developed young players at Manchester City, Rob Byrne, who becomes youth team manager, and Steve Atkinson (youth development).

Club secretary Harry Hulmes was pleased by the quality of the applicants, but said Higgins stood out.

He added: “More than 20 people expressed an interest, before we whittled it down to a short list of five.

“We want to build a young team for the future because we’re not splashing the cash on transfer fees or seasoned professionals who have been around the circuit more than once.

“With that in mind, Shaun ticked all the boxes.”

Work on Mossley’s floodlights will be completed this week in time for pre-season.

A huge fund-raising effort was staged to replace the pylons after two came down and the remainder were condemned earlier this year.