Telford Town Football Club are delighted to announce the appointment of Mike Dunn as the club’s new First-Team Manager.

Dunn arrives at Telford Town with almost two decades of coaching experience and a strong reputation within the West Midlands non-league game, built through a combination of player development, youth success and senior first-team management.

His most recent managerial role was with Bilston Town, where he took charge in May 2022 and spent three seasons leading the first team.

Prior to that, Mike spent eight years at Rushall Olympic, where he played a major role in the club’s youth and development structure and helped bring through a significant number of young players.

His time at Dales Lane included notable success, culminating in Rushall’s U21 side being crowned Midland Football League U21 North West Division champions in 2021/22, winning 18 of their 22 league matches.

Mike and his staff also enjoyed further cup success during their time at Rushall, helping establish a strong development pathway before making the step into senior football.

The move to Bilston in 2022 gave Dunn the opportunity to take that experience into first-team management, where he went on to spend three seasons building further knowledge of the demands of senior non-league football.

It is that blend of experience which particularly appealed to Telford Town: a manager who understands the level, knows the local football landscape, has experience of building and managing senior teams, and also has a proven background in developing players.

Mike will be supported by an experienced backroom team.

Ryan Westley and Dom Heath join the club as Coach/Assistant Managers, while Luke Sanders has been appointed Head Goalkeeper Coach.

Westley has worked alongside Dunn for many years, including their successful time together at Rushall Olympic and subsequently with Bilston Town. He brings an established working relationship with the new manager and extensive experience across both youth development and first-team football.

Heath joins having most recently been manager of Wolverhampton Casuals, bringing further senior management experience and knowledge of the local non-league scene.

Sanders completes the new setup as Head Goalkeeper Coach, having previously worked with Sporting Khalsa Women, Bilston Town and Coleshill Town.

Telford Town Joint Chairmen Hayden Dando and Jonathan Stone said:

“We are delighted to welcome Mike to Telford Town as our new First-Team Manager.

“This was a very important appointment for us and we wanted to make sure we brought in someone who not only understands this level of football, but also shares our ambition for what Telford Town can become.

“Mike stood out to us because of the breadth of his experience.

“He has spent almost 20 years coaching, including eight years at Rushall Olympic where he was heavily involved in developing young players and building successful teams, before making the move into senior management with Bilston Town.

“We were particularly impressed by that balance.

“We want a manager who is capable of improving and developing players, but who also understands the pressures and demands of managing a first team at this level. Mike has experience of both.

“His knowledge of football throughout this area, his contacts within the game and the way he spoke about how he wants his teams to play and operate all gave us a lot of confidence that he is the right person for the job.

“We also really liked Mike’s ambition and the way he spoke about the opportunity at Telford Town.

“Mike came across as someone who is hungry, driven and excited by the challenge in front of him. We believe he has the experience and qualities to get the best out of the group and take us forward.

“Mike also arrives with a strong team around him and we welcome Dom, Ryan and Luke to the club.

“We would also like to place on record our sincere thanks to Elys Brooks-Davies and Matt Price for stepping in and taking charge of first-team affairs during the interim period.

“They stepped forward when the club needed them, took responsibility for the team and handled the role with professionalism and commitment.

“Their work gave us the opportunity to go through the appointment process properly, and we are extremely grateful to both of them for everything they have done during that period.

“We would like to officially welcome Mike, Ryan, Dom and Luke to Telford Town and wish them every success with the club.”

Mike Dunn and his management team will take charge of first-team affairs with immediate effect.

Welcome to Telford Town, Mike.

#UpTheTown