Hastings announce new boss

Dom Di Paola is the new Hastings United manager, according to the football club’s website.
New Hastings United manager Dom Di Paola. Picture by Liz Pearce (ENGSUS00220130411084326)New Hastings United manager Dom Di Paola. Picture by Liz Pearce (ENGSUS00220130411084326)
New Hastings United manager Dom Di Paola. Picture by Liz Pearce (ENGSUS00220130411084326)

As reported by www.hastingsunitedfc.co.uk, Di Paola has replaced former boss Terry White, who stepped down from the role after the 3-0 defeat at home to Tooting & Mitcham United last month.

Thirty-three-year-old Di Paola leaves his position as manager of reigning Macron Store Sussex County League champions East Preston, with whom he had won five trophies in three seasons since being appointed in the summer of 2011. His backroom team of assistant Jan Miller, and coaches Ian Browne and Adam Westwood will also be joining him at The Pilot Field.

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A club statement said: “Di Paola emerged as the unanimous choice of an extended interview panel that included supporter representation. Although comparatively young, his track record of success is highly impressive, having earned five promotions and eight winners’ trophies in all over the course of his seven seasons in management.

“The Board of Directors truly believe that Di Paola’s arrival will signify an end to the managerial instability that has dented the club’s aspirations for so many years now, and hopes that supporters will join us in welcoming Dom and his backroom team to the club for what is hoped will be a highly successful future.”

Di Paola’s playing career started at Worthing and also took in Worthing United. He took the helm at Clymping at the tender age of 25 and led them to promotion from the West Sussex League in his only second year in charge before landing the Sussex Division Three title a year later and then a sixth place finish in Division Two.

May 2010 saw Di Paola return to Worthing United, also in Sussex Division Two, where he inherited a club with virtually no playing staff, yet was still able to build a squad that finished the season in third place and won promotion to Division One.

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After that year he switched to East Preston, and the club won a Sussex Division Two league and cup double in his first season. They then achieved a third place finish in Division One in 2012/13, won the Sussex RUR Charity Cup and reached the semi-finals of the Sussex Senior Cup.

Di Paola then led East Preston to their first ever Sussex Division One title at the end of the 2013/14 campaign, a season in which they also won the John O’Hara League Cup, finished runners-up in the RUR Cup and reached the last 16 of the FA Vase.

EP have made an unbeaten start to the current league campaign and pushed Conference South high-flyers Boreham Wood all the way in a narrow FA Cup defeat last weekend.

A fans’ forum is to be arranged next Saturday, to follow Di Paola’s first game in charge at home to Guernsey, which will give supporters a chance to pose questions of Di Paola, and possibly other club officials.