Baker takes on joint manager role at Wick

Ady Baker has been appointed Wick joint manager

The former Littlehampton Town Football Club boss has agreed to work alongside Lee Baldwin as joint boss of Wick next season.

Wick were unable to seal an immediate return to the Southern Combination League Premier Division last term, ending the campaign fifth in Division 1.

Baker, who took his first role in senior management at Golds, has been without a club since leaving back in December.

The ex-Golds boss did offer a helping hand on matchdays to Golds interim manager Mitchell Hand towards the back end of last season as they were relegated from the SCFL Premier Division.

Baker admits he was not looking for a return to management but positive talks with Baldwin made him reconsider, now seeing him back in the game as joint manager at Crabtree Park.

He said: “Lee (Baldwin) contacted me, we had a really positive meeting and I decided to take the role as joint manager.

“The plan wasn’t to get back in to management at this point in time but I am now.

“Myself and Lee have similar principles, like to play the same way and I think we’ll complement each other well.

“I think we’ll be quite different characters in the changing room but we both want to do well and get the club back in the SCFL Premier Division.”

Baldwin, who failed to guide Wick back to the SCFL Premier Division last season, is pleased to have Baker on board.

He said: “Ady is someone I know through football and, after positive discussions, he’s agreed to join me as joint manager.

“I’m still only 30 and there is so much involved as a county league manager these days.

“It seems to have worked at Pagham (a joint manager role) and on a much larger scale at Lincoln with the Cowley brothers.

“We both share an ambition to get the club back to the Premier Division, which is something we’re looking to achieve.”

Ryan Barratt has left Wick, while Andy Weir and Rob Wimble have retired.