South Shields facing big decision after exit of ex-Sunderland and Newcastle United youth coach Elliott Dickman

If first impressions do indeed count, Elliott Dickman certainly made a strong one on his first afternoon as interim manager of South Shields.

Just days earlier, the former Newcastle United and Sunderland academy coach had been named as temporary boss of the Mariners following the departure of Julio Arca, who left his role at the 1st Cloud Arena following a home defeat against Blyth Spartans. The first spell of Dickman’s interim reign brought further disappointment against Spartans as the Croft Park outfit inflicted a 2-1 away defeat on South Shields and a late winner from former Mariners striker JJ Hooper only rubbed salt into the wound.

Yet rather than getting too carried away by the dramatic and disappointing end to the game, Dickman offered a measured and balanced view of what he had witnessed from the players he had inherited just 48 hours earlier. There was an admission of shortcomings - but also a focus on some positives that came from an uncomfortable 90 minutes at Croft Park.

His reaction to the loss had all of the hallmarks of what would follow throughout the remaining six months of his interim spell and the season that followed his permanent appointment. Dickman has always been open, honest, critical when needed, analytical in key moments, but more than anything, he has always been balanced and has never got too carried away by results that could have provoked responses at opposite ends of the emotional scale.

From a personal and professional point of view, it was disappointing to see Dickman ‘relieved of his duties’ by the Mariners on Monday evening. After dealing with him for the last 18 months and during a short time covering Newcastle United Under-21s, he has always been open and approachable, which is all you can ask from a manager.

I was asked on Monday night if I was surprised by the decision and all I could offer was an answer of both yes and no. After he played a part in making the early decisions of the summer that saw the likes of Dillon Morse and Myles Boney depart, seeing Dickman depart was a surprise. However, by his own admission, the results and performances, particularly during the second half of the season, have not met the standards many, including Dickman himself, would expect from a clearly talented squad. There have been mitigating circumstances with a lengthy injury list rarely subsiding and some departures, such as those of trusted assistant manager Andy Inness and former Newcastle United midfielder Lucas de Bolle caused disruption at key moments in the season. Nevertheless, Dickman should leave with thanks and appreciation for never shirking away from the challenges he faced during his time in charge.

This is now a decisive moment

But what now for the club he has left behind? If there is a positive from the Mariners point of view, it is that the decision to move on from Dickman has come early in the summer and they now have time to appoint a new permanent manager and give the new man time to prepare for what already feels like a monumental close-season. Several departures from the playing squad have already been confirmed and the Mariners are still awaiting contract decisions from a number of players ahead of a return to pre-season training in around six weeks.

In an ideal world, a new manager will have experience of what it takes to compete in the ultra-competitive world that is in the National League North and knowledge of the North East football scene would be a benefit. Retaining and even adding to a core made up of players from the region and those who understand the North East is also key if the Mariners want to move on from what has been a disappointing season. This is now a decisive moment in the Mariners attempts to continue their rise up the non-league pyramid and getting the right man in charge is essential if some of the momentum that appears to have slipped away is to be regained ahead of their third season in the National League North.

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