Football manager celebrates win on 1,000th game with same club

An Ayrshire football manager who has been with the same club for 23 years has celebrated a win on his 1,000th game in charge.

Tommy Sloan's Auchinleck Talbot FC beat Renfrew FC away 2-0 in the West of Scotland Football League on Wednesday.

The 61-year-old, who works as a forklift driver during the day, said he was "delighted" with the result.

"It was a tough game but we got two good goals and kept a clean sheet and we certainly deserved to win," he said.

Wednesday's victory at New Western Park saw Cameron Keay score in the 38th and 75th minute.

Sloan said he just wanted to concentrate on winning the game and "not getting caught up" in the occasion.

"Matches have been coming thick and fast at the moment so there hasn't been much time to dwell on it anyway," he said.

"Renfrew presented me with a pendant before the match to mark the occasion which was really nice of them."

Sloan, who is known as Tucker, took the top job at the East Ayrshire club after moving into a coaching role at the club in 2003, after playing for clubs including Queen of the South, Kilmarnock and Stranraer.

He now joins the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson, who was at Manchester United for 27 years, and Jim McLean and Arsène Wenger, who had 22 years at Dundee United and Arsenal respectively.

He said the secret to longevity as a manager was passion.

"Football is my thing, I've always had an enthusiasm for it, and it has passed on.

"My two boys, my daughter and my grandkids play as well, so it must be in the genes. "

Sloan has to fit two training nights and matches around his full-time job.

"When I played I always worked and then I was coaching before I was managing. It's something I've done for the last 40 odd years. "

"It's certainly not easy and it can be hard work. If me and the wife go in and she says we'll watch a film, usually I don't see most of it. I'll nod off and be asleep on the couch after half-an-hour."

Despite it being 23 years ago, Sloan still remembers his first game as manager as it was against Cumnock FC.

He said: "They are our biggest rivals. That's the big derby for us.

"Cumnock were hot favourites, we were struggling in the league at that time and we won the game 2-0."

His fondest memory is winning the Scottish Cup for the first time against Bathgate in 2006.

"We went into that one as underdogs, Bathgate were a big spending team at the time with a lot of ex-pros in their side, and it was a Rugby Park which is local for us but not so much for them," he said.

"We had a massive support there that day and it was a great day and we won two-one. it was a good occasion for us, really special."

Sloan says he hasn't given much thought to what the next milestone will be, but has no plans to retire anytime soon.

"When you've got good players and a good side it's hard to get away from," he said.

Club secretary Henry Dumigan said Sloan had won 36 honours in his time at the club and had shown "unbelievable service and loyalty".

"He is probably the most successful manager ever at our level and very humble with it," he said.

"He's a great role model for any manager coming into the game."

Dumigan said Sloan was a "very popular fellow" with both players and fans.

"I don't know anybody that's got a bad word for Tommy because everyone really appreciates what he has done here and appreciates his modesty - even those he's won all those honours."

"I know Tommy has had opportunities to leave here, to take a bit more money, but he's been as good as his word and remained loyal to Auchinleck Talbot."