Alan Julian, a former custodian for Gillingham and Dartford, has taken on managerial duties.
Julian has taken over as Hampton & Richmond’s National South first-team manager.
He replaced Mel Gwinnett as manager, having recently announced his retirement from the game. He had been a coach at Hampton & Richmond for the previous few seasons. The team stated that he defeated “several outstanding candidates” to take over the position.
“I’m determined to make sure this club and these fans get to create more memories and continue to win,” Julian stated. “I’ve had the privilege to be involved in some unbelievable successes in my career (including four promotions), which I never take for granted and I understand the level of hard work that it takes to achieve that success.”
“Everyone who knows Alan knows what a model professional he is and the level of love that he has for the game,” stated William King, managing director of the club.
We are thrilled to see him apply these abilities and his drive to management, particularly at this exciting moment for the Beavers, after watching him play to such a high standard throughout his career and expecting nothing less than the best from his teammates.”
Julian, aged forty-one, played with the Gills for three seasons, from 2008 to 2011, totaling eighty appearances.
He was Simon Royce’s understudy at Gillingham when they were promoted from League 2 in 2008–09, although he was not used as a replacement at Wembley during the play-off final. Julian participated in four Gills league games during the season.
When the Gills were demoted from League 1 a year later, he kept goal the next season. A disappointing season that concluded without an away league victory had some exciting home wins over teams like Southampton, Leeds, and Huddersfield, as well as a 5-0 thumping of Swindon Town on opening day.
Julian stayed on for a another season, serving as the team’s regular keeper when Andy Hessenthaler’s Gills just lost out on a League 2 play-off spot in 2011.
After leaving Gillingham, he went back to his old club Stevenage and spent a year playing at Newport County. He then spent two seasons at Dartford, where he was named player of the season in 2014. After that, he spent a few years at Bromley. In 2020, he relocated to Billericay and subsequently to Hampton & Richmond.
