Statement from Weymouth Football Club:
‘Weymouth Football Club are pleased to announce that Steve Claridge has agreed terms to become First Team Manager with immediate effect.
Following what has been a challenging period for everyone at the club, the Board acted swiftly to ensure stability and continuity ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup tie away to Tadley Calleva. Steve will take charge of the team for that fixture.
A former Premier League player and a familiar face to Weymouth supporters, Steve brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge of the game.
His appointment is aimed at providing leadership and direction as the club looks to strengthen its position in the league and build positively for the future.
The club would like to thank all those who expressed interest in the role and will provide a further update on Steve’s backroom staff in due course.
We wish Steve every success on his return to Weymouth and look forward to working together towards a stable and successful future.’
Steve Claridge enjoyed a remarkably long and well-travelled playing career, becoming a quintessential lower-league journeyman. Over a span of 24 years, he represented an astonishing 25 different clubs, including multiple spells at the likes of Weymouth, Bournemouth, Birmingham City, and Portsmouth. A wholehearted and physical striker, he was famed for his work rate, resilience, and an uncanny ability to score crucial goals, most notably a spectacular last-minute volley that won the 1996 First Division Play-off Final for Leicester City against Crystal Palace at Wembley.
And those travels bring him all the way back to Weymouth.
