Trafford FC are pleased to confirm that Simon Heaton has joined the first-team management staff for the 2026/27 season.
After Tom & Keil committed their futures to the club and with Lee Rick moving on, it was important a third man was brought in to help Trafford push for promotion out of the North West Counties Football League Premier Division.
Simon on joining the club:
I am delighted to join Trafford as part of the 1st team management I met up with Tom and within minutes I wanted to work with him the club want to bounce back and hopefully I can help with that. we have started working straight away and recruitment has been positive already. I’m Looking forward to the season ahead working with Tom , Keil and the Trafford staff and supporters.
Manager Tom Baker added:
After the departure of Lee Rick in the summer to West Didsbury & Chorlton, it was really important that I looked to recruit a third man to work alongside me and Keil, I always like working as a three management team. I think it’s really important to have a couple of opinions throughout the season in regards to various things, I think the important thing for me was that we got the right man with the right attributes, I think between the three there’s many boxes that you need to tick as a management team, from coaching, recruitment, knowledge of the level etc.
I felt it was really important going to a new level as in the north-west counties is a level that myself and both Keil don’t have a great level of experience with regards to the other teams and in regards to players at that level I felt the key factor to who we brought in was going be someone who’s been at that level before I think Simon ticks that box.
He spent 2 to 3 seasons at Abbey Hey working under a strict budget and kept them in the division. He spent a few years before that at New Mills again in the same division working as a three man team with Mike Norton and David Birch, he knows the level really well. He knows the other teams, knows players at the level.he’s a really good guy. He’s really hungry to be successful and be a part of something this season so I once I sat down and met with him it was quite clear that he was the right guy to bring in to work alongside me and Keil and looking forward to the new season.
Welcome to Trafford Steve!
