A FAMILIAR face will be in the dugout when Holker Old Boys host Chadderton tomorrow, after Brian Dawson was confirmed as the North West Counties Division One outfit’s new manager.

The 38-year-old enjoyed several seasons with the club during his playing days and has now returned to Rakesmoor Lane to take over the reins following Scott Redhead’s decision to join Scottish side Gretna as assistant manager.

Dawson, who played as striker for Barrow AFC as well, spent much of last season in charge of Millom in the West Lancashire League and left there to take up a role coaching Carlisle United’s under-16s in their academy.

But his spell in the Carlisle set-up did not work out as he would have liked and when the opportunity to manage Holker was offered to him, it was one which proved too good to turn down – particularly after having rejected the chance on two previous occasions.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Dawson. “It was always something that would have materialised, but with a young family and taking other jobs, it’s down to the timing.

“When the opportunity came along, I originally said no again because I wanted to continue at Carlisle, but the thought of somebody else taking the job and being in it for a long time – and potentially not getting the opportunity to do it again for a long time – was too big of a pull.

“I really enjoyed it at Millom. To be honest, I wouldn’t have left there to go to another club, but it was a case of I’m a football coach and I do that for a living, so going and working in the academy could potentially lead to full-time employment.

“It wasn’t a decision that was taken lightly, it was a career change, but having experienced it for three or four months it wasn’t what I expected, so I wanted to get back into the adults and enjoy it again.”

Holker chairman Dick John is delighted they have been able to bring Dawson back to the club in a managerial capacity, and is in no doubt he will take little time to adjust to being involved.

“Obviously, Brian has a lot of connections to the club, having played for us for a few years, and he’s done his own bit of coaching so it’s a good capture for us,” said John.

“He’s a nice lad, well-organised and I think he’ll do well. Mid-season is always awkward to pick people up – the last thing you want to do is pick someone from another team and leave them in the lurch like you are, so it was nice to have Brian available.

“Within all areas of the club, there are lads who played with him still doing bits with the other teams and it’s great to get him fitting in there, and he’ll work with them brilliantly. There won’t be any problems and with him knowing the club, he’ll just fit in nicely.”

Dawson’s first game in charge against Chadderton, who Old Boys lost to 3-2 and 6-3 in the league and FA Vase respectively last month, sees the home side without up to seven players due to injuries and personal reasons.

But Dawson was impressed by what he saw from several of the youngsters in the reserves on Wednesday night – a game which was, coincidentally, against his former club Millom – and expects the rest of this season to be one of consolidation.

“This season will just be a case of finding my feet and getting to know the players,” said Dawson. “In terms of us doing anything, it’s going to be a transitional year between now and the end of the season.

“The aspirations would be consolidation and getting to know the players. Scott has done a good job before me in assembling the squad, so I’m quite comfortable with the squad that we’ve got. But obviously, in the summer, once we’ve assessed the squad, that’s the time you would look to recruit and get players in.”