Manager backed after fine finish

Bexhill enjoyed a terrific end to the 2011/12 campaign, winning eight and drawing two of their last 11 Sussex County League Division Two matches.

They finished seventh in the table with 53 points from their 34 games after being overtaken by a Loxwood side which won its final game away to Wick on Saturday.

The 41-year-old Parris was appointed joint manager with Jamie Podmore at the start of June shortly after the arrival of Powell.

Podmore resigned due to ill health in mid-January – just days after Bexhill were hammered 6-0 away to Littlehampton Town – and Parris took sole charge, bringing in Lee Wood from Westfield as his assistant.

Bexhill then embarked on that aforementioned finish to the season which also included beating cross-town rivals Sidley United to win the Hastings & District FA Senior Cup – the club’s first senior trophy.

The campaign was rounded-off with a glamour friendly against a Brighton & Hove Albion Ex-Pros & Guests XI featuring Gus Poyet on Wednesday, last week, to mark the official opening of the club’s floodlights.

Wood’s situation remains unclear. The 33-year-old hasn’t ruled out resuming his playing career following an operation before Christmas in which the majority of the cartilage was taken out of his right knee.

See today’s Bexhill Observer for the full article.