Young succeeded again, on this occasion winning the league title with the Blues. His first season found him back in the First Division North he had just earned promotion from with Colwyn Bay. The Bay missed out on promotion that time, but the season after secured a place in the UniBond Premier Division, beating Lancaster City in the 2009/10 play-off final.Ī bigger challenge awaited when Neil was appointed manager of phoenix club Chester FC in 2010 – and what an impact he made! In his first campaign, he lifted the Seagulls from the relegation zone to the play-offs in First Division North of the UniBond Northern Premier League. Young transformed Colwyn Bay’s fortunes after joining them early in the 2008/09 season. His apprenticeship served alongside the master, it was now time for Neil to stand alone as a manager. Rhyl added the NWCFA Challenge Cup to the trophy cabinet that season. His first major highlight in Welsh football came in 2005-06, when now as number two to Hulse, the pair guided the Lilywhites to a second Welsh Cup in three years, beating Bangor City 2-0 in the final at the Racecourse, Wrexham. It’s the stuff of fairy tales, but certainly not the first slice of success in Neil Young’s management career. Last weekend, Neil’s Marine side, from the eighth-tier of English football, advanced to the third round of the FA Cup where they have secured a dream home tie with Premier League leaders Tottenham Hotspur. I think he’ll go a long way in management.” He told me at the time: “I see a little bit of me in him, a little bit of the younger me. John was delighted to bring “Youngy” on board.

John Hulse, who had led Rhyl FC to an unprecedented quadruple the season before, had added Neil to his management team to work alongside himself and assistant Lee Coathup. It was back in the 2004-05 season that I first met Neil Young.

The Club by Anthony Hulse