Dramatic U-Turn in Hornets coach announcement

Rochdale Hornets News

Many Rochdale Hornets fans were expecting the club to name Bobbie Goulding as their new coach following the sacking of Darren Abram earlier this month but after a dramatic U-turn by the board it has emerged that the new coach will be Shaun Gartland. The club offered the position to Goulding but withdrew their offer when Goulding did not accept certain conditions.

Goulding had been the favourite to take over the vacant position as soon as Abram was sacked and it seemed only a matter of time before he was reinstated at Spotland, having previously resigned as Hornets coach in November 2005, citing frustration at the club's financial situation.

Hornets chairman David Vining said: quot;An offer was made subject to certain conditions in view of what happened last time but Bobbie came back to us with another set of proposals which were unacceptable to us so the offer was withdrawn."

Shaun Gartland worked as part of Darren Abram's coaching staff, coaching the newly formed under-21s side.

Director Karen Reynolds would not be drawn into commenting on who the new coach was, except to say that any reports suggesting that Goulding's appointment had been confirmed were inaccurate. She said that more would become clear after an AGM tomorrow night, Wednesday 17 July.

It seems that Hornets fans will not be able to confirm one hundred per cent who their new coach is until he takes his seat in the dugout for Thursday night's televised game against Dewsbury at Spotland on Thursday night, kick off 7.30pm!