KELSEY LEAVES LOWFIELD FOR HERTINGFORDBURY PARK

DEPARTING LOWFIELD FOR....

......HERTINGFORDBURY PARK.

Just over five miles seperate Spartan South Midlands League local rival's Hoddesdon Town and Hertford Town and there has been some very keenly contested derby games between them since The Lillywhites were promoted back up to the Premier Division in 2013. The tension mounted last summer when striker and fan's favourite Tommy Wade swapped the blue shirt of Hertford for the white one of Hoddesdon 

The rivalry and pressure was stretched further today when the shock news was announced that Gavin Kelsey is the new manager of Hertford Town. 

Kelsey only joined Hoddesdon last season from another local side in St Margarestbury but guided them to the 3rd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup which was their best performance since 1969/70, won the Premier Division Cup and mounting a credible challenge for the title eventually finishing in third place which is arguably their best ever league finish in their history.  

Hoddesdon are now looking for a new boss ahead of next season where they will be ground-sharing at Wodson Park (the home of Ryman Division One (North) side Ware FC) due to Lowfield not currently up to the correct ground grading standard for promotion to Step Four on the non-league ladder which the club are aiming for. 

Hertford Town fans, many of whom were disappointed with popular manager Paul Halsey leaving the club, will now be eagerly anticipating the forthcoming season and looking higher up the table than their eighth placed finish they achieved in 2015/16. 

The local derby games between the two which attracted crowds of 302 and 337 last season will be very interesting to say the least.