Club Legend Returns as Manager

Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central club Hednesford Town have announced the return of Steve Burr as manager.

The 62-year-old is, of course, well-known to Pitmen fans as a player, holding the club’s record for the highest transfer fee the club has paid following his arrival from Macclesfield Town in the early 1990s and having achieved legend status through his goalscoring exploits.

As a manager, Burr is one of non-League’s most respected figures.

He began his managerial career at Nuneaton Borough where he was in charge for three years before moving to Hucknall Town where he achieved success in his one season in charge winning the Northern Premier League in 2003/04.

The opportunity to manage in non-League’s topflight saw Burr take over at troubled Northwich Victoria, beginning with a 10-point deduction due to the club’s financial problems.

However, he guided them to a safe mid-table position against the odds, only to have further financial issues mean the club was relegated for non-footballing reasons.

Burr then led Northwich back to the top-flight, winning the Conference North the following season where he achieved a mid-table position as well as a semi-final FA Trophy appearance.

Burr was also appointed assistant manager of England C alongside Paul Fairclough during this period.

Finally leaving Northwich, Burr was swiftly appointed as manager of Stalybridge Celtic where he took them to the Conference North play-off final, losing by a single goal to Barrow.

In 2010, he joined Kidderminster Harriers in the Conference where he spent four years, finishing just outside of the play-offs twice before recording a second-place finish in 2013, losing in the play-offs to Wrexham.

Following his departure in 2014, Burr spent two seasons with Chester, one with Southport and has brief spells back at Stalybridge and Stafford Rangers before deciding to pass on his knowledge as a number two to his former player Josh Gowling at Vanarama National League North side Hereford where he has remained since 2020.

A statement from Hednesford’s Board of Directors reads: “Having Steve Burr back at this club is simply superb. As a club legend, Steve knows the place like the back of his hand anyway but as a manager, we are delighted to be able to make an appointment like this, Steve is so well respected as a manager throughout non-league that he is an absolute no brainier to be in charge of this club. We had to be patient of course but to know that Steve wanted to be back at this club is something we are proud of, and we are incredibly excited for the future under Steve. We also give huge thanks to the interim management team of Leroy Lita and Martin Riley, alongside the squad as a whole also, whose professionalism and steady heads, during a period of uncertainty has assisted the squad to be more driven than ever to change recent results. It’s also credit to their hard work behind the scenes, that, following discussions between Steve Burr and Leroy Lita, that Leroy joins the coaching staff, adding his wealth of knowledge, experience, drive and passion for results. We’re delighted to have completed this deal and look forward to a bright future”.

Hednesford Town Web Site