Borough Land New Assistant Manager And Goalkeeping Coach In Double Swoop

Borough Land New Assistant Manager and Goalkeeping Coach In Double Swoop

Grimsby Borough is delighted to announce the arrival of Liam Dickens and Andy Pettinger as the club’s new Assistant Manager and Goalkeeping Coach respectively ahead of the 2026/27 Pitching In Northern Premier League Division One East campaign.

With Danny East recently stepping away from his role as Tom Claisse’s right-hand man due to health and family reasons, the club have acted quickly to bring in a strong replacement, one who is certainly well-known and respected in local footballing circles, with the former Cleethorpes Town joint manager Liam Dickens taking over the position as preparation for the new season ramps up.

The 33-year-old has been on the books of many of the region's non-league clubs at one time or another since his release from the Grimsby Town youth setup in 2011.

Featuring at various steps in the non-league pyramid, Liam has worn the colours of Brigg Town, North Ferriby United, Lincoln United, Gainsborough Trinity, and most notably, our neighbours the Owls over a 13-year stretch before moving into his aforementioned coaching role.

A former teammate and midfield partner of current Borough man Alex Flett in their time at Cleethorpes, the pair were both key players in their famous run to the 2017 FA Vase Final.

Someone who Wilderness Boys’ Director of Football Dave Smith has also worked alongside greatly in recent years, Dickens and recent Borough man Tim Lowe shared the managerial reins at the HPS Plant Hire Stadium for just over a year between March 2023 and the conclusion of the 2023/24 campaign, stabilising the club after a difficult spell under former Mariner Nathan Arnold, before moving on when current boss Craig Rouse took charge two years ago.

Liam brings a wealth of experience and knowledge, both from his time on the pitch and in the dugout, and his addition is a coup for the club as we look to build on the strong foundations already in place ahead of another exciting Northern Premier League Division One East season. 

We’re equally pleased to welcome Andy Pettinger to Borough as he takes up the position of Goalkeeping Coach. The 42-year-old is also a familiar name around these parts, having similarly spent time at many of the area’s Football League and non-league sides throughout his career.

Starting out in the Scunthorpe United youth academy in 1996, the highly-regarded youngster would move on from his hometown club in 2000 when Premier League outfit Everton paid an undisclosed fee to take him to Merseyside before he’d even made a first-team appearance for the Iron.

Acting as back-up to the likes of Thomas Myhre and Richard Wright in his time with the Toffees, Andy was an important part of the Blues’ 2002 FA Youth Cup runners-up team, but departed later that year to return home to North East Lincolnshire, penning a deal with Grimsby Town.

An injury to the Mariners’ regular number one Aidan Davison provided Pettinger with the chance to make his senior professional debut in the 2003/04 third-tier season at the age of 21, a memorable day as his side ran out 6-1 victors over Barnsley.

He’d go on to make three first-team appearances in total at Blundell Park before moving down the leagues and plying his trade for Ossett Town, Armthorpe Welfare, Brigg Town, and Gainsborough Trinity over the next decade, while holding coaching positions at Scunthorpe and neighbours Cleethorpes Town as his playing days wound down.

Andy is a fantastic addition to Tom Claisse’s coaching setup and backroom staff. He’ll not only be working with the first-team, but also helping out with all of our senior stoppers across the Reserve team, Under-18’s, and Under-17’s, in line with the player development pathway implemented at the club.

We welcome Liam and Andy to the Technica Home of Grimsby Borough and look forward to seeing our players and the club as a whole benefit from their mentorship.