Hartley Wintney FC have announced the appointment of Rowan Vine as first team manager, following the departure of Ian Selley and assistant Mick Bennett.

They left last week by mutual agreement, following a string of poor results which had further hampered the North Hampshire side’s efforts to climb out of the relegation places in the Southern League Premier Division South.

Vine will be partnered in the dugout by Shane Hollamby as assistant first team manager.

Basingstoke Gazette:

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Basingstoke-born Vine, 40, joined the Row as a player in October 2017 and made a huge impact on the team, but more will know him from his time in the professional game in England and Scotland, where he played for clubs including Portsmouth, Brentford, QPR, Colchester United and St Johnstone.

Joining Vine in the dugout is Hartley Wintney legend Hollamby, 35. He joined the Row as a player in 2012-13 with the club adrift at the bottom of the Combined Counties League Premier Division and was instrumental in the Row incredibly avoiding relegation that season.

He went on to play a crucial part in back-to-back CCL Premier Division titles and Hartley Wintney’s promotion to the Southern League. After a two-season spell with local rivals Basingstoke Town FC, ‘Holla’ rejoined the Row at the start of the 2019-20 season and has remained with the club as a player.

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Following a long and successful period of steadiness at the helm under the Row’s now director of football, Anthony Millerick, this is the second change in management at Hartley Wintney this season, with ex-Arsenal midfielder Ian Selley having taken over from Ross Weatherstone in November.

“Working alongside Ian, I saw first-hand how hard both Ian and Mick worked behind the scenes,” said Millerick. “Coming in at a delicate time, and after a positive start, things went against them at crucial times, which killed any chance of much-needed momentum to pull us away from danger.

“Both are great football people and I thank them for their efforts and wish them the very best of luck at their next club, when that comes about.”

With Saturday’s game called off due to the weather, Vine and Hollamby are due to take charge of their first game in the league match at fellow strugglers North Leigh, in Oxfordshire on January 28.