Short stay at Burnham for Gifton
Last month I reported that former Claret Gifton Noel-Williams had been appointed as the new manager of Hellenic League Premier Division club Burnham.
His first game in charge was a 6-3 defeat, a 13th successive reverse for the club, but he’s helped turn things round with three victories before departing this week.
Burnham reported, in a short statement: “The club have parted company with Gifton Noel-Williams whose existing coaching commitments proved too difficult to combine with the time and input required to lead this young first team and be part of Burnham’s football regeneration. ”
Chairman Gary Reeves added: “Naturally we are disappointed that things have not worked out here for Gifton. We wish him every success with his coaching, which has been a great source of encouragement to young players.”
He followed up that 6-3 loss, against Longlevens, with an equally disappointing 4-1 defeat against Royal Wootton Bassett, but has won three of his seven games in charge, beating Ascot United, Highmoor-Ibis and Oxford City Nomads.
He won’t be replaced at Burnham. First team duties are now being placed in the hands of director of football Luther Blissett and his staff.
The now 36-year-old first joined Burnley in the summer of 2005, scoring on his league debut in a 2-1 defeat at Crewe on the opening day of the 2005/06 season. He was with the Clarets for a season and a half, leaving for Spanish club Real Murcia on the last day of the January transfer window in 2007 having scored seven goals in 52 league appearances for us.
Earlier this year, Noel-Williams, who started his career with Watford, explained how his career was saved by Sir Elton John after an injury in a game against Sunderland in 1999 left him with rheumatoid arthritis.
He said: “Football is full of challenges and a challenge is a challenge, but I think what happened afterwards was unfortunate, as because of the challenge, I don’t why, but my whole body got taken over by rheumatoid arthritis. I got told at the time I wouldn’t be able to play no more. I was lucky enough that Elton John was living in America and saw an article about a drug that could save my career and he contacted Graham Taylor and they paid for me to get my treatment and stuff like that.”
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