Richard Mahoney with Harry Sherman

SHOCKWAVES reverberated around the London & South East Regional Football League this week when the most successful manager in Camden Town WFC’s history stepped down.

Harry Sherman guided Town “through an important period of growth and development”. The highlight, without doubt, was a dazzling double last season, which saw the club win the Premier Division of the Greater London Women’s League and the John Greenacre Memorial Trophy.
But over the weekend, Sherman offered his resignation citing personal reasons, and club chairman Richard Mahoney reluctantly accepted.

“Harry has given an enormous amount to Camden Town WFC, not just in terms of results, but in the culture, standards and the environment he helped build,” said Mahoney, who lives in Highbury.

Darren Smith, Camden Town WFC’s interim manager

“Harry is the most successful manager in Camden Town’s 40-year history – a simple statement of fact. But even that does not fully capture his legacy because his impact goes far beyond the results on the pitch.

“He leaves with my sincere thanks, respect and best wishes, and he will always be part of the Camden story.”

However, big clubs with big ambitions don’t have time to dwell on past successes – and Town have acted quickly to appoint Darren Smith as interim manager until the end of the season.

Smith is a UEFA “A” licensed coach who has worked with some of the country’s top clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Charlton Athletic.

Mahoney added: “I’m genuinely excited about the appointment of Darren. From a strong field of candidates, he was my first choice. His technical expertise, football philosophy and attention to detail stood out immediately.

Darren Smith taking his first Town training session

“I’ve followed his work closely for some time and have first-hand experience of his coaching approach. I’m confident he will bring clarity, structure, and renewed focus as we look to finish the season as strongly as possible.”

Smith takes charge with Camden Town sitting fourth in the Division One North table, 16 points behind leaders Hammersmith but crucially with three games in hand. They also still have to welcome Hammersmith to their Maurice Rebak home stadium in North Finchley next month.

Smith held his first training session on Tuesday night as he started preparing the squad for this Sunday’s home match against Herne Bay. He said: “I’m delighted to be joining Camden Town WFC at an important stage of the season. It’s a club with a clear identity, strong values and a real commitment to player development and high standards.

“I’ve been impressed by the quality within the squad and the foundations that have already been put in place. My focus now is on supporting the players and staff, creating clarity in how we work and helping the team perform consistently between now and the end of the season.

“I’m looking forward to working closely with everyone at the club during this period.”