'He's certainly backed us' - Dickman praises South Shields owner Thompson amid transfer update

Elliott Dickman has given an insight into his relationship with South Shields owner Geoff Thompson as the new National League North season rapidly approaches.

The Mariners remain up for sale after Thompson revealed he was bringing down the curtain on his nine-year ownership of his home town club in October last year.  Talks over the sale are ongoing and a non-disclosure agreement has been signed with one interested party as a move to end the most successful period in the club’s history continue to move a step closer.

Although some would suggest a possible sale would provide a destabilising impact for on and on-field progress at the club, manager Dickman has revealed his relationship with Thompson remains as strong as ever and praised the Mariners supremo for the backing he has received during his first summer in charge at the 1st Cloud Arena.

He told The Gazette: “I have settled here and I absolutely love it.  I think we’ve got a fantastic set of supporters, I think we’ve got a fantastic set of players and it’s just the right environment for me.  I am getting a lot of enjoyment from what I am doing.  He (Geoff) doesn’t want a firesafe, he’s not going to give it away to anybody, it has to be the right person.  If that takes time, it takes time.  From my point of view, I’d like Geoff to be here as long as I’m going to be here because we have connected and worked really well together.  He’s certainly backed us with some of the players we have brought in and some of the ideas that we have to change things a bit.”

Dickman’s summer transfer business kicked off last month with the addition of Whitby Town winger Coleby Shepherd before former Newcastle United academy forward Kyle Crossley penned a two-year deal with the club.  Hometown boy Dan Ward returned to South Tyneside to become Dickman’s third summer addition following spells with Spennymoor Town, Gateshead and Oldham Athletic and a fourth new face arrived when Stockport County youngster Ashton Mee penned a season-long loan agreement with the club.

The new additions featured in last weekend’s opening pre-season friendly against Sunderland as the Black Cats claimed a 5-0 win at the 1st Cloud Arena and could make another appearance when the Mariners host National League side Hartlepool United.  Dickman assessed his squad ahead of the game and revealed he is ‘really happy with the core group’, despite conceding one new face could arrive before the new season gets underway next month.

He said: “I would say never-say-never, there might be one or two things we need to look at.  But generally, we are really happy with the core group we have and the younger players will certainly get better being around it.  That doesn’t mean to say we won’t bring someone in, there is one space we want to fill but we will see where we are at in a few weeks.”