Cotton promotion shows Haywards Heath have eye on future

Cotton will carry on playing and being the leader on the pitch when the new Isthmian south east division season gets under way, and Saunders will continue as manager.

But Cotton will be involved in every aspect of managing the team as he learns the ropes with a view to taking over the day comes for the current boss to retire.

Saunders described it as a ‘win-win’ for all at the club and Cotton said he was excited about the new role.

Cotton skippered Heath to a mid-table finish last term and will be captaining a squad containing most of the 2019-20 line-up plus a few new faces when football resumes.

Announcing Cotton’s role, HHTFC said: “Lloyd is an intelligent, technically gifted and extremely passionate footballer who wants to not only help the Heath on the pitch but wants to also learn the art of management from the Heath’s most successful manager in recent years, if not ever.

“Shaun feels this is appointment will help progress the club to the next level.”

Saunders told us: “Lloyd’s first priority will be as a player and captain, but he’s not going to play forever and I’m not going to manage forever. This could be a way of allowing our next manager to learn the ropes.

“Lloyd’s a leader who’s sure to go on to manage and we want him to do that here. We go back a long way – he was a player for me at Peacehaven.

“I’ll involve him in all aspects of the job but I’’ll still pick the team.

“Lloyd is an important member of our team and had offers from other clubs, so we are delighted he is taking on this role with us.”

Cotton, 34, told the Middy he was excited by his new challenge and eager to help Heath build on recent progress on and off the pitch.

“Shaun’s been there and done it and there’s an awful lot to learn. We’ve started working together on things with the players and now we can get to work in training and in friendlies.

“We have what looks a really good squad together.”

Cotton, released by Brighton aged 17, played for Burgess Hill, Peacehaven and Lewes before Heath. He is now 34 and has no plans to hang up his boots yet.

“Management hadn’t crossed my mind too much before this but I’m determined to do well. Whether it’s what I do in rhe future, well, let’s see how I get on with this first!”

Club chairman Mick Cottingham said the appointment demonstrated Heath were not resting on their laurels but were ‘looking to the future by injecting new vitality as well as maintaining continuity’.

The club added: said: “Throughout lockdown both Shaun and Lloyd have been working exceptionally hard to enhance the squad by bringing in new players and working on their fitness with Zoom PT sessions. With the easing of lockdown, the squad has started training regularly at Ardingly College in preparation for the start of the new season.”

Heath play Eastbourne United at Ardinlgy on Saturdau. Pre-season games versus Worthing and Lewes are also planned.