Spennymoor search for new boss after Miller steps down

Spennymoor Town are back in the market for a First Team Manager, just four months after appointing one. Tommy Miller resigned from the role on Sunday, with Head of Football Jason Ainsley stepping into the dugout on an interim basis for Saturday's National League North trip to Hereford.

The club explained that Miller's decision was driven by growing commitments in his life outside football, alongside a personal wish to see the first team led with the full energy and focus he felt the club and its fans are owed. There's no hint of fallout in how the split has been handled, and the statement announcing his exit was warm in thanking him for his time at the helm.

A season that never got going

Miller's second spell in the job struggled to build any real momentum. The campaign began with a creditable point away at title favourites Morecambe, followed by a home win over Merthyr Town, but things stalled soon after. A blank afternoon against Oxford City preceded back-to-back away losses at Scarborough Athletic and Bedford Town, and a share of the points at Hednesford Town proved to be his last match in charge.

This marks the second time Miller has departed the role. His first stint began in January 2021, when he succeeded club legend Jason Ainsley, though he was moved on in December of that year with the side placed mid-table. He came back in February this year, initially sharing interim duties with Matty Dolan following Graeme Lee's exit, and the two are credited with turning results around enough to keep Moors in play-off contention deep into last season. That form was enough to convince the board to give him the job on a full-time basis heading into this campaign.

Ainsley steps back in

Taking temporary charge is Ainsley, a familiar face given his long history with the club. He'll have support from Dolan, who has shifted into a player-coach role this season while also picking up the Academy Manager position, and from Gavin Cogdon, who leads on community and club development.

Recruitment underway

The club has already opened the search for a permanent replacement. The vacancy calls for someone with strong leadership qualities, sound man-management, a solid grasp of the non-league landscape, and the drive to push the club forward. Once appointed, the new man will work alongside Ainsley, who is set to return to his Head of Football duties full-time.

What's next

Spennymoor remain a side that has come close to breaking into the play-offs in recent years without quite getting there. The immediate task falls to the interim setup, who need to steady an unsettled start before a new manager is found, beginning with the trip to Edgar Street this weekend.