Cooper bids farewell to Denton Town FC

Phill Cooper has resigned as the joint-manager of Denton Town FC, citing personal reasons for doing so.

The 30-year-old departs the club after two-and-a-half years at the helm.

The former Dukinfield Town boss tendered his resignation following the 1-0 defeat at Styal FC, leaving the Whittles Park outfit eighth in the Cheshire League One.

Cooper initially arrived at the club to  deliver stability, however he also outlined plans to progress the club on and off the field, although his ultimate ambition centred on the aim to gain promotion to the Premier Division.

Whilst promotion never materialised, Denton did enjoy stints of success, with new sponsors coming on board, a second place finish in a covid-disrupted season, and a semi-final appearance in the Manchester Challenge Trophy.

Dave Pollard will now take charge of the club on a sole basis until the end of the season - starting this weekend with a home clash against Styal in the league cup.

Speaking to Reporter Sport about his departure, Cooper said it was a difficult decision but one he doesn’t regret, as he can now devote more time with to his family and also make use of his season ticket at Manchester City. “I’ve got nothing against the club; I just need some time away from the game. 

“Anyone in football management knows that it’s pretty relentless and it’s started to take over my life, and I need to concentrate on other things with work being one of them.

“I’ll do as much as I can off the pitch, although I won’t promise that I’ll be there all the time, but I’m always there if the club needs to ask questions or need any advice. 

“I’ll still try and do as much as I can away from the pitch, but I just won’t have the pressure of being at every game or training session.”

Cooper’s departure was met with well-wishes and positive comments from a variety of people online.

The validation and positivity has left him feeling grateful, however he still has no plans of returning to the dugout anytime soon and will savour every moment of his spare time. He said: “At football you come across a lot of good people, some of them become friends that you see on a regular basis. It’s nice to hear positive messages and well-wishes, because it reinforces the belief that you’v done a good job and you accomplished what you set out to do.”

Having grown attached to the club, Cooper is happy that his successor, Pollard, who originally joined in October 2020, is well-liked amongst the players, and has Town’s best interests at heart. “The main aim is to ensure the club keeps the continuity as the players know who they are, and it’s also hard to find someone at this point of the season anyway. It’s down to Dave, and first team coach Sam Rhodes, to put his stamp on things and pick up where I’ve left it.”