9:18am Friday 12th March 2010
By Derek Bish
GEORGE Rolls hopes to complete a sensational U-turn when he asks Ian Hutchinson to return as manager of Weymouth.
Jerry Gill resigned from the job yesterday, paving the way for a shock and dramatic reunion between Hutchinson and Rolls.
The Terras’ chairman also admitted publicly for the first time that he made a mistake in relieving Hutchinson and assistant Andy Mason of their duties in January, less than a fortnight after verbally agreeing new contracts with the pair.
“I will hold my hands up and realise I made a mistake in getting rid of Ian Hutchinson – I did so for non-footballing reasons,” said Rolls. “I’ve had a conversation with Ian because I do realise the passion that the people of Weymouth have and how much Ian Hutchinson meant to them.
“I will be having a meeting with Ian next week to discuss the potential of him coming back – that may well be next season rather than this.
“At the moment, our number one choice is Ian Hutchinson. We’ve agreed to meet to see if we can work together.”
Having made well over 500 appearances on the pitch for the club, Hutchinson was already highly thought of by Weymouth’s fans when he took over the reins of the beleaguered club from Matty Hale last October.
His appointment as manager immediately halted the weekly thrashings being dealt out to the Terras at the time – his biggest defeat would be the 4-1 loss to Chelmsford City in his last game at the helm.
The points soon began to rack up as he plotted a miraculous escape from the Blue Square South drop. Four points against local rivals Dorchester Town – as well as an FA Trophy win – also helped his cause.
However, after guiding Wey-mouth to within five points of safety, with a game in hand, his time in charge was abruptly cut short when Rolls sacked him and Mason ahead of potentially season-defining six-pointers against Worcester City and Lewes.
Hutchinson declined to comment.
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