Lancing United name new manager

Banasco-Zaragoza, who was under-21 manager at Steyning Town last season, was announced as United’s new boss last week but his first game in charge will be this Saturday’s Sussex Intermediate Cup tie with Forest Row. The new manager will be assisted by brother and former Worthing keeper JJ, as well as Lancing United players and recent interim managers, Steve Allfrey and Dan Tuppen.

It was Allfrey and Tuppen who oversaw United’s 3-1 win at Clymping in the SCFL Division 2 Cup on Saturday when Grant Thetford, Mark Dixon and Brad Hunt were on target.

Speaking about Banasco-Zaragoza’s appointment, Lancing United secretary Glenn Souter said: “Luke was the stand-out candidate for us from the word go.

“After meeting him a few days after the job became available, it was just a case of dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s.

“Luke is a young, ambitious and local manager and that is what stood out for us. Luke is also a qualified coach and has an excellent assistant in JJ to work with him who is also a great coach too.

“Luke isn’t a known name amongst the SCFL scene, but we believe in giving young talent an opportunity to prove their worth and we feel Luke, JJ, Steve and Dan will be an excellent team.

“It was really important for us as a committee to ensure that the new manager did not come in and unsettle the side as we have a really strong squad with a number of experienced players.

“Retaining Steve and Dan as assistants and trusted advisors to Luke and JJ was key and we are confident that they will work well together. Steve and Dan will be the link between the squad and the new managerial set-up and allow us to retain a sense of stability and trust amongst the squad”.

Lancing United chairman Ron George added: “I would like to record the club’s thanks to Steve and Dan for stepping in when we were left with no manager at short notice.

“As a pair, they kept the squad together, recorded this season’s stand-out result, winning away at Jarvis Brook, and they have given us a real belief that this can be an excellent season for the club. Both of the lads have been a credit to the club and this is exactly the kind of team spirit and togetherness we were hoping for.”

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1 Make this website your homepage

2 Like our Facebook page at facebook.com/pages/Sport-Sussex

3 Follow us on Twitter @SportSussex

4 Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!