ALL good things must come to an end.
Mark Beesley’s time as Warrington Town manager can certainly be classed as that and regardless of the disappointing way in which his tenure ended, his contribution to the club will always be remembered.
For it was him and the squad he assembled that finally took the club over the line to the promised land of the National League North after so many agonising near-misses, taking the team on a club record 25-game unbeaten run in the process.
Not only that, but he kept them there too – thriving in the land of the giants to secure an improbably top-half finish last season, meaning he had guided the club to its highest-ever league finish in consecutive seasons.
Those achievements alone mean that, when it comes to the most significant names in the history of Warrington Town Football Club, the name Mark Beesley will always be in the conversation.
Unfortunately, however, it appears as though making sure the club’s stay at this level extended into a third season proved to be a task too great.
There have been a few signs – both on and off the pitch – that something has not been quite right and Beesley’s departure brings those concerns bubbling to the surface.
While there is no indication that the manager has “jumped before he was pushed,” there have been growing murmurings of concern and discontent among the fanbase around the results the team have been getting and the way in which they have been performing.
Their displays can be viewed in one of two ways – were they the performances of a team familiarising themselves with each other having had a higher-than-usual turnover of players in the summer? Or those of a group scratching around for confidence?
Even then, there have been bright spots – games against promotion favourites Scunthorpe United and Kidderminster Harriers have yielded four points – but Saturday’s early exit from the FA Cup, which denies them the opportunity for much-needed extra revenue, set more alarm bells ringing.
Did the shock departure of Beesley’s trusted assistant Dave Raven on the eve of the season set things back more than anticipated? Was seeing key players such as Isaac Buckley-Ricketts, Andre Wisdom and Sean Williams leave simply too much to come back from?
Whatever the reasoning behind Beesley’s decision, Town now have to move on and their next move is an incredibly important one.
The new man inherits a squad that is a good blend of youth and experience but one that, as we have seen in the nine games they have played to date, is currently fragile and scope for additions is minimal. For new players to come in, existing squad members are likely to have to move on first.
After Spennymoor Town’s visit on Saturday, there is a two-week break before the trip to Chorley on October 5 – a window that seems ideal for the finding and bedding in of a new boss.
For now, though, it is appropriate to reflect upon and be thankful for Beesley’s immense contribution to the club over the past eight years – it is easy to forget that he was assistant to Paul Carden during his successful tenure between 2016 and 2021 before taking the top job.
The way it ended is abrupt and sad, but the journey has been an incredible one and he can reflect upon his time in Warrington with pride.
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