OXLEY Vale Attunga Mushrooms will start their new Northern Inland Football Premier League season with a new coach.
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Sam Higgins, who coached the Mushies this year, was to have been the OVA first grade supremo this season but pulled the pin this week.
He had led the Mushies for the first time last year and was hoping to go one better than a losing 2012 grand final appearance to Tamworth FC in 2013.
OVA president Craig Dunn said the young coach notified the Mushies of his resignation on Tuesday night.
“Work and family commitments have taken their toll,” Dunn said.
“He just wasn’t getting enough time to do the things he wanted.
“The club would like to thank Sam for his efforts over the last 12 months as coach and encourage him to remain as part of the club into the future.”
That pitchforked assistant coach Lachlan Browne straight into the top job.
However the attacking midfielder won’t be playing.
“Lachlan’s having an ankle operation next week,” Dunn said.
“He won’t be running for some months and won’t be playing at all this season. Maybe next year.”
Browne’s elevation to the coaching position means Chris Fenton will stay on with OVA as its new assistant coach and not sign with his original club East Armidale as he intended to do.
“I believe he hasn’t signed with them,” Dunn said.
As for Browne, who is the son of former NSW Country cricket representative cricketers Terry and Leanne Browne, it caps a remarkable rise with a club he has played with since a junior.
“Yeah, apparently he’s one of the youngest Premier League players we’ve had,” Dunn said.
“Now he’s one of the youngest Premier League coaches as well.”
Apart from the loss of Browne, the Mushies have a “very similar squad” to the one that took to the field for last year’s grand final.
“About the only change is Sam Coates is our new goalkeeper,” Dunn added.
“And it looks like Adam Sweeney isn’t playing this season but the rest of the side is just about intact.
And we do have some good young kids coming through into the reserve grade.”
The Mushies have two Premier League sides as well as three local senior sides playing in the TDFA as well as a women’s team.
Eight junior sides in the TDFA complete the schedule for a club which is also looking at compiling its history through the likes of Jim McGuire.
Tamworth Golf Club remains the main sponsor and base while Ardina Electrical, Bank Of Queensland, Shoppingworld, Country Capital Meats and D&C Projects also support the Mushies with Baker’s Delight (Shoppingworld) and Club Synergy coming on board as junior sponsors.
“We are looking forward to the season starting Saturday for both Premier League and locally in Tamworth,” Dunn said.
OVA’s PL season starts with a local derby against North Companions at Marius Street tomorrow while defending premiers Tamworth FC host Narrabri Cougars at Johnson Field, Tamworth and Gunnedah Hotel Hawks (formerly Imperials) are at home to Wee Waa United (Kitchener Park) in the other Southern Conference game.
In the crossover game, Gunnedah United is at home to Demon Knights (Wolseley Park) while Guyra United is at home to South Armidale United in their Northern Conference opener, Moree Football Club hosts East Armidale United and North Armidale plays Inverell’s Joeys FC United at Phil Wheaton Field, Armidale.
In the crossover match, Gunnedah United tackles Demon Knights at Wolseley Park in Gunnedah.
