FORMER Woking player Simon Lane has been appointed first team manager at Westfield FC.

Lane – who was the youngest head coach in European football at the age of 31 – replaces Tony Reid, who left the Isthmian League South Central club after the season was halted by the coronavirus crisis in April.

He moves to Westfield after a scouting role for Hayes and Yeading Utd and recent managerial spells at Wingate and Finchley and Northwood.

A vastly experienced coach and manager, Lane has held a UEFA A coaching licence since 1998, when he was also club coach at Leighton Town FC. This followed a playing career with the likes of Yeovil Town, Woking, Bath City, Hayes and Aylesbury Utd which was cut short by injury.

His European achievement came when he took charge of Maltese side Naxxar Lions and led the club to their highest-ever finish. He then had his first UK non-league managerial role with Berkhamsted Town in 2003.

Following a successful spell as Windsor and Eton boss, Lane spent three years as first-team coach at National League South side Maidenhead Utd, alongside Johnson Hippolyte, before his roles at Wingate and Finchley, Northwood and Hayes and Yeading Utd.

Speaking about his new challenge with Westfield, he said: “I want to thank everyone for the fantastic welcome. I am excited by the challenge. Most of all I want to reward the people at the club that work so hard to maintain it. That, plus developing every player that I come into contact with, will be extremely satisfying for me.

“A number of players have already stated that they have left the club so there will be a significant rebuild. As always there will be ups and downs, that’s football.

“The rebuilding doesn’t frighten me at all, as I have been here many times in my career. I will attack the challenge and work hard to get this club where we all want it to be. We will do it in a sustainable manner over time. It’s my local club and I can’t wait to work with the players both old and new.

“However, most of all right now we all must stay safe and look after ourselves in these unprecedented times."