Former Blackpool, Sunderland, Leicester City and Stockport County figure lands new managerial role

Former Blackpool midfielder Andy Welsh has secured a swift return to football management.

The 40-year-old was relieved of his duties as Bury manager in mid-September, and now he has bounced back by getting right back into the swing of things.

He was managing in the seventh tier of English football, and has swapped the North West Counties Football League for the Northern Premier League. Welsh has taken up the reigns at Yorkshire-based Guiseley AFC.

He will get right into the thick of things at Nethermoor Park, as he takes charge of his first game against Marine. Welsh takes over a team 13th in the league standings

“We are excited to get started at Guiseley, a club at non-league with a lot of history, with the potential to help grow the fan base bringing together the local community to support and get behind their team is something we are looking forward to.

“This league is a very tough division, and we need everyone getting behind the team home and away to bring that feel good factor back to the stands.”

Guiseley is the third club of Welsh's managerial career that started in 2017 with Ossett Albion as a player-manager, and later Gossett United where he beat his new club Guiseley in the Cup, and guided them to the play-offs.

Welsh was named the new manager of phoenix club Bury, and when football resumed following the COVID-19 pandemic, he guided them to the NWCFL Division One North. He was dismissed from his post in mid-September, having won just twice in eight games.

As for his playing career, he played for 16-years, and featured for the likes of Stockport County, Sunderland, Leicester City and Blackpool. The club he made the most appearances for was Yeovil Town, where he appeared 120 times in total. He was a promotion-winner with the Black Cats in 2005, and also won promotion with Stockport.