‘We had been preparing for this day’: Worthing FC chairman on how they plan for life after Hinshelwood

The club have been shaken by Adam Hinshelwood’s switch to National League premier outfit York City just a few weeks before the end of a season which could yet end with the Rebels winning promotion to the same division.

But they have acted quickly to install Aarran Racine, assisted by Darren Budd and Dean Hammond, as interim manager.

And Hunter told us they’d already had plenty of interest from candidates interested in getting the job longer-term.

Hunter said Hinshelwood’s success had made it inevitable clubs higher up the chain would want him and York were not the first, but the Worthing board would not have stood in his way when this chance came his way.

"We’d been getting quite a few approaches and had been preparing for this day,” Hunter said.

"As a person and as a professional, Adam will be greatly missed, not just for the promotion and other success on the field but for his development of our pathway giving local young players a chance to thrive. He was never afraid to give a young player a chance."

Hunter said the club were pleased to install Racine, Budd and Hammond as the interim management team quickly .

The board were keen to separate the rest of this season – in which a push for promotion to the National Premier is still very much on – from the longer-term. Clearly Racine could be a contender for the permanent job if he does well – and wants the role – but Hunter said a number of candidates had already expressed interest in the job.

"We’re well placed in the league and wanted continuity and the minimum of disruption,” said Hunter. "Aarran knows the players, the club, the way we play so was an obvious choice to put in place.”

Fans will be concerned one or two of Worthing’s star players may follow Hinshelwood to York but Hunter said the focus now for everyone was on finishing the season strongly.