AFC Telford: Rob Smith & Larry Chambers won't be forgotten

A whirlwind day at the New Bucks Head finally came to a rest with former Wolves coach and Telford-born Rob Edwards, 34, appointed as the Bucks’ first-team manager.

Smith and Chambers departed, as did chairman Ian Dosser, ending his 13-year association with the club.

Edwards is set to meet the players signed by Smith and Chambers tonight as the club re-assemble for training.

News of Edwards’ appointment came as links surfaced connecting Wolves, owned by Chinese conglomerate Fosun, with a move to invest significant money in the Bucks, financially securing their future.

Some exciting things for Bucks fans to digest. Very much the start of a new era.

The new boss was very highly regarded at Molineux, he’s an exciting, up-and-coming coach with all the tools. He also never hid his secret to one day become a manager.

Edwards has a UEFA A License qualification with a bid to complete his Pro License later this year.

It’s an impressive pedigree but it won’t make the news any easier to stomach for Smith and Chambers.

And Telford supporters won’t be reading this without more than a tinge of sadness in the wake of their departed management duo.

After all of their time, effort, commitment and desire to do the very best for AFC Telford United, Smith and Chambers deserved more clarity and honesty.

Smith and Chambers were the ones keeping Telford’s noses out of the mire over the last 24 months. They returned to a club in financial turmoil in 2015. The true extent of which was revealed last season when £50,000 needed to be raised inside a couple of months.

They did everything within their power to keep the football club above water. They live and breathe Telford and want the best for the football.

Long-standing director Andy Pryce, made interim chairman in the wake of Dosser leaving, confirmed that the investment could secure Telford United’s future. He admitted it had been a tough week telling his friends Smith and Chambers their tenure was up.

Many may agree that Edwards’ appointment and, in particular, any potential investment from Wolves undoubtedly leaves the club in good stead moving forward.

But more will agree that Smith and Chambers showed unwavering loyalty at the helm.

They were the ones leading a squad out while buckets were being shaken and supporters were asked to dig deep.

They’ve spent the summer, their time, putting together a squad of 18 players they were excited about leading out next season. Working within the same challenging restrains, they believed they’d acquired some real talent.

The duo gave as much time to the ‘semi-professional’ position as somebody in full-time employment.

We have reported all summer about the miles they have clocked up and down the motorway. Meeting players, agents, players again – just to be certain they were the right fit for AFC Telford United.

There is a cliché in football. Nobody is bigger than a football club. That stretches across the board – players, management staff, board members and so on.

Bill Shankly wasn’t bigger than Liverpool. Sir Alex Ferguson wasn’t bigger than Manchester United. Smith and Chambers aren’t bigger than Telford United.

But over their totalled six year tenures, they’ve had just as big an impact.

The duo will hope that the football club can be successful as it enters a bold new dawn.

Edwards has no experience of management at senior level. He’s a local lad and that in itself is a big plus point. He will understand the club’s history, their stature, the support. He will understand the reformation 13 years ago. He will know what it means to the people.

Hopefully, for Telford’s sake, he can provide the same level of passion and commitment that Smith and Chambers gave.