By Laurie Fitzgerald
One of the longest serving managers in English football ended an era this week when John Coleman left his role at Accrington Stanley to take the vacant job at League One side Rochdale.
Coleman had been in charge at Accrington since 1999, with only Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger currently having a longer reign with a league club in the country.
For Coleman and Stanley, it has been a partnership that has taken the club on an incredible journey since his arrival way back in 1999.
When Coleman arrived at The Crown Ground along with assistant Jimmy Bell, Accrington were in the Northern Premier League First Division.
But under the Liverpudlian Stanley gained three promotions to reach the Football League, and in the previous 12 seasons they have always improved on their position from the previous season.
Having guided the Lancashire club to the play-offs last season, Coleman will now make the step-up to League One after drawn-out negotiations with Dale were finally concluded.
He leaves Stanley well placed to push on this campaign; they sit just outside the play-off spots after just one defeat in ten matches prior to Coleman’s departure.
Throughout his time at Stanley Coleman has developed a knack of plucking young talent that weren’t given a chance with higher clubs, and providing them the opportunity to flourish in League football.
Players like Sean Murdoch, Ian Dunbavin, Dean Winnard, Luke Joyce, Peter Murphy and Charlie Barnett are all young, promising players that have been given the chance to develop under Coleman.
These players now form the basis of a squad that has aspirations of joining Coleman in the third tier of English football.
It would be easy to understand if Stanley supporters are anxious about the future after such a prominent rise under their former manager.
The 49 year-old has not only built squads to take the club forward season upon season, but he has also ensured the club have progressed as a whole.
Taking Stanley from a struggling side two tiers below the Blue Square Premier to a stable League Two outfit is something the fans will never forget.
However, with the Coleman era coming to an end the Accrington faithful know that what he has left behind is a squad and a structure that can see the club continue their rise in his absence.
A few years ago Stanley were in danger of going out of existence before Ilyas Khan took over the club in 2009.
Coleman helped ensure that they stabilised things on the pitch while the new management did so off it, and the club is now in a far healthier state.
So while it has been an unforgettable 13 years at Accrington Stanley, there is no reason why the club cannot continue to make great strides post-Coleman.
So what do you think? How do you see Accrington moving forward after the departure of Coleman? Who would you like to see become the new manager? Leave a comment and let us know your views.
