Mark Hughes inspired by challenge of guiding non-league Billericay Town to next level

The Essex outfit generated national headlines in 2016 when businessman Glenn Tamplin took over and funded sensational moves for former Premier League stars Jamie O’Hara, Jermaine Pennant and Paul Konchesky with the club sitting in the seventh tier of English football.

It helped them gain promotion back to National League South but with a new ownership group, chairman and management team now in place, they are aiming even higher.

That’s where Hughes, who was born in Dungannon, comes in after he was appointed assistant manager to Kevin Watson in January.

Having almost joined Billericay as a player, Hughes is well aware of the club’s profile but says it’s very different now to previous times.

“For three or four years they were paying League One money,” he said.

“I very nearly signed but the next day they signed a few Premier League players and that went out the window!

“I was looking at it from the outside at some of the names they were bringing in and knew it wasn’t going to be sustainable.

“From this year there is no one under contract from the old regime. Don’t get me wrong: to compete over the course of the season you have to have a decent budget and what has been spoken about means we will be competitive and I’m really looking forward to next season.”

With the 2020/21 season being declared null and void due to challenges faced by the coronavirus pandemic, Billericay will have to wait until the next campaign for competitive action, but training is set to resume this month at the ambitious club.

Hughes brings a wealth of experience to New Lodge having forged a career in the Football League with the likes of Oldham and Barnet alongside, earning two caps for Northern Ireland on their tour of America in 2006 during fixtures against Uruguay and Romania.

Although looking back on the experience with pride, there is a part of Hughes that wishes he could have been involved more.

“I got a call from Oldham saying I had been called up to the squad heading to America and I was delighted,” he reflected.

“Sammy (Clingan) made his debut out there and it was the first time Steve Davis captained the team, so we have over 160 caps combined!

“That’s my line because I have two of them and the other two have about 160. I was disappointed that I didn’t get more.

“I was in and out of the side at Oldham the following year and then dropped down to League Two which maybe meant I got overlooked but I was actually playing better.

“I thought the call might have come and I was on standby for quite a while under Lawrie Sanchez but never got into the full squad.”

Hughes would work again with Sanchez at Barnet in 2011, where he made the midfielder captain of the club, but the ex-Fulham boss was sacked a year later.

“He let his assistant and team do a lot of the coaching but was always there if you needed him,” added Hughes.

“With his experience he was so calm and I don’t think I’ve ever worked with someone who was so relaxed. He showed faith in me and I really liked him.

“Unfortunately he got sacked with three games to go and that sort of killed me because we had talked about another year.”

The 37-year-old started his career out in Tottenham Hotspur’s youth academy and once played against an “outstanding” teenage talent by the name of Wayne Rooney, who proceeded to fire in a FA Youth Cup semi-final hat-trick for Everton against his Spurs side.

Under manager Jacques Santini, Hughes was involved with the senior team during pre-season ahead of the 2004/05 campaign but was never handed his debut, headed out on loan and the rest is history.

Despite his journey, Hughes doesn’t forget where he came from and will remain eternally grateful to those that helped him at the very beginning.

“I was in Dungannon United Youth with Joe McAree and Dixie Robinson,” he added.

“I had loads of trials in England because at that stage you could fly over on your own and trial everywhere.

“Just before I did my GCSEs I played a few games for Dungannon Swifts in the First Division. I owe a lot to Dungannon United Youth.”

*A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Irish and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than five articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. To subscribe, click here.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Thank you,

Alistair Bushe

Editor