Leadership reshuffle at Matlock Town after Cresswell accepts Doncaster role
Matlock Town have confirmed a change to their managerial structure after Ryan Cresswell accepted a full-time coaching position at Football League side Doncaster Rovers. The club announced this month that Cresswell would take up the role of head coach of Doncaster’s Under-18s, a commitment that the Gladiators say is not compatible with continuing as joint-manager.
Earlier in the summer Matlock had indicated Cresswell would join an unnamed EFL club and would remain as joint-manager alongside Ricky Ravenhill for the time being, with the club saying the "viability of the arrangement" would be assessed during pre-season. The club has now confirmed that, because of the demands of his new role, Cresswell will step away from matchday responsibilities at Matlock.
Ravenhill to take sole charge, new coaching support named
Ricky Ravenhill will take sole charge of the first team going forward. He will be supported by Richard Lawrence, while forward Conor Washington will combine playing duties with a coaching role as a player-coach. In addition, Lewis Duckmanton has been appointed Matlock’s head of football, and will be involved with recruitment and supporting the manager on football matters.
- Ricky Ravenhill — sole manager
- Richard Lawrence — coaching support
- Conor Washington — player-coach
- Lewis Duckmanton — head of football (recruitment & football matters)
Playing squad changes follow managerial switch
The club’s update also came amid further movement within the playing squad. Striker Jonny Margetts has announced his retirement from the game, described by the club as a surprise. Winger Jesurun Uchegbulam has joined Step 3 side Bury, while midfielder Ben Sault has been released.
"The viability of the arrangement" would be assessed during pre-season.
Those departures, combined with the change in the managerial set-up, mean Matlock enter the coming season with a revised backroom team and a partially reshaped playing squad as preparations for competitive fixtures continue.
Implications for Matlock’s season and recruitment
With Ravenhill now in sole command and Duckmanton overseeing recruitment, the club have signalled a move to concentrate decision-making within a smaller core of staff. The appointments leave clear responsibilities defined between matchday management and broader football operations.
Matlock supporters will be particularly interested in how the club addresses the gap left by Margetts’ retirement and Uchegbulam’s departure. The club statement highlights recruitment as an active area for Duckmanton and the new-look management team, but provides no further detail on targets or timelines.
| Role | Person |
|---|---|
| First-team manager | Ricky Ravenhill |
| Assistant / coaching support | Richard Lawrence |
| Player-coach | Conor Washington |
| Head of football | Lewis Duckmanton |
For local followers and season-ticket holders, the coming weeks of pre-season will be watched closely to see how the new structure functions in practice. The short-term challenge for Ravenhill and his staff will be to steady the squad after recent departures and to prepare for competitive fixtures in the Northern Premier League.
The club’s communication reiterated the practical reasons for the change: Cresswell’s full-time commitments at Doncaster make dual matchday responsibilities untenable. Matlock have not announced any immediate replacement for Cresswell in a joint managerial capacity beyond the appointments listed above.
Supporters seeking updates are advised to follow the club’s channels as the Gladiators confirm further squad moves and pre-season fixtures.
