WE BUILT IT ALL FROM SCRATCH

Wilson’s praise for men on Moatside

- David Richardson

WHEN Frank Wilson arrived at Moatside as Merstham manager he had no coaching staff, no physio and no kit man – let alone any players.

The departure of stalwart Hayden Bird to Kingstonian after seven years at the club, taking them to the cusp of Step 2 last May, paved the way for a new era to begin.

Within 24 hours of returning from a holiday in Malaga last summer, Wilson was sat in front of the Merstham hierarchy outlining his plan and even before he had landed the job, work had already begun.

“I remember driving home from the interview and thinking I’m going to phone a few people just to give them a heads up about the situation,” the former Tooting & Mitcham boss told The NLP. “When I got the job I phoned them and said it’s real now!