After two unbeaten league seasons and numerous young Blues making the step up from our Reserves to the 1st Team, Kris Atkinson has stepped down as Reserve Team manager for the 2025/26 season saying it was "a decision that was amongst the most difficult I have ever made".

Kris has been with the club since the launch of our Academies Centre of Excellence Programme. Supporting recruitment, being an Assistant Coach and Managing teams through the seasons Kris stepped up with the Under-16 Junior Premier League Champions as we re-launched our Reserve team who competed in the Lauren Lou Lowestoft and District League. Since its rebirth, our reserve team is unbeaten in league format competitions and can boast a number of young players within our current 1st team squad and also playing senior football in the local area.

On his departure Kris said, "To transition an entire group of teenagers into men’s football with so much success is right up there in my proudest achievements in the game, to see already several boys who are still in their teenage years competing in men’s senior football both at our club and others around Norfolk and Suffolk fills me with an immense amount of pride. There are so many people I must thank for their help, guidance and support over the years, the senior staff over the years have been amazing in their support, Colin Easton and the board for showing unwavering support to the reserve set up, Boycey for sorting out our kit and gear every week, the families of the boys for having enough faith in me to take their boys into men’s football and everyone that took time out of their week to turn out and watch the boys play their brand of exciting attacking football. From here I will be making my own transition from Staff Member to Fan and I hope to be able to cheer on success on the pitch for both first team and reserves in the coming season"

Replacing Kris in the dugout and showing the club has a pathway for coaches as well as players will be Ricky Graves, Pete Barber & Declan McAvoy. Ricky and Pete have coached a number of current Scholars, Reserve and some 1st team youngsters during their time with our Academy and Ricky has more recently led on the Recruitment process for the clubs youth teams. Ricky & Pete will be joined by Declan McAvoy whose football career has seen him play full-time in Scotland and England before playing more locally for clubs such as Kings Lynn & Great Yarmouth.

Speaking of the changes, First Team Manager, Andy Reynolds said "Firstly, what a great shift by Kris. As a club we needed someone to take it on and steer it through the early stages and he done it without any complaint and always trying to push the boys on as regularly as possible. It's often called one of the toughest jobs in football and even more so when you fly solo so he deserves huge credit and thanks from everyone around our club and I hope he enjoys getting to be a supporter his own lads but knowing Kris he will be cheering on all those who he has worked with. As one chapter ends, the next begins and what we have been able to do with Ricky, Pete and Dec is keep some continuity as some lads have worked with Ricky & Pete before and with Dec's experience and hunger to step in to coaching the boys will be in excellent hands. I hope there will be a good turnout for the Waveney fixture to see the changing of the guard as such".

Our next Reserve game is at Crown Meadow on Tuesday 22nd July Vs Waveney FC in the Brian Gallagher Trophy fixture.