Seaham Red Star get to work as familiar face returns in new role

Seaham Red Star are already feeling the benefit of their decision to appoint Northern League stalwart Wilf Constantine as their new director of football.

Constantine has over four decades of experience in management that included a spell in charge of Red Star and he has now returned to the club to help manager Mark Collingwood and assistant Michael Johnson as they look to help the club bounce back from relegation into the Northern League’s second tier.

New additions have already been made in preparation for the new campaign as Ryan Appleby, McKellan Lines, Lewis Porritt and Kieran Beattie were all added to Collingwood’s squad and the early signs are promising after Red Star claimed a 2-1 win against Division One side Whickham in their opening pre-season friendly earlier this week.

Assistant manager Johnson has given an insight into the impact Constantine has made since his return and revealed the club are working hard to continue strengthening their squad ahead of the new Northern League season.

He told The Echo: “We have brought in Ryan Appleby, McKellan Lines, Lewis Porritt and Kieran Beattie and they are big signings that will bring something we were missing last season. It’s fantastic to get them in and get them on board. They are ones we have been looking at for a while and it aligns with Wilf coming in to help with player recruitment and identify players we want to bring to the club.

“He will be a real asset to me and Colly when we are looking to improve the squad and his knowledge, his contracts and his understanding of the game is fantastic. It’s been a really good start to the summer and it will continue because we are working hard behind the scenes to make sure we are in a position to get back to where we feel we belong.”

Burton contract

There was a further boost for Collingwood and Johnson when Mason Burton penned a new long-term contract after the versatile defender landed a trio of awards at the club’s annual presentation night last month.

Johnson said: “Mason signing and committing his future to the club is fantastic. He’s had interest in the summer and it’s big for us being able to keep him. He has proven his worth, especially last season when he was tremendous on and off the pitch and we are delighted to have him on board.”

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