Former Portsmouth boss Graham Rix rekindles FA Cup love affair in first game as Fareham Town manager

The 64-year-old has replaced good friend Pete Stiles as the Reds boss after the latter accepted a new behind-the-scenes role.

Rix received the ‘bombshell’ news just a few weeks after arriving at Cams Alders as head coach following his departure from Gosport Borough.

With Stiles now vice chairman and club development manager, Rix’s opening game in charge is at Wessex Premier rivals Blackfield & Langley in the FA Cup preliminary qualifying round.

It is now 43 years since the former England international and Pompey boss swung over the 89th minute cross for Alan Sunderland to score a famous FA Cup final winner for Arsenal against Manchester United.

The midfielder went on to lift the trophy twice more - in 1997 and 2000 - as part of the Chelsea backroom staff.

A late August trip to Gang Warily is a far cry from those heady May days, but Rix is no stranger to the early FA Cup rounds - he spent four years as AFC Portchester boss between 2013-2017.

‘I’ve known Pete a long time from when I was at Portchester,’ Rix told The News. ‘Things didn’t work out at Gosport so he asked me if I fancied coming in as coach to give him a hand. I’ve really enjoyed it.

‘Then Pete dropped the bombshell last week that he was moving upstairs, he wanted to go in a different direction. He asked me if I wanted to take over and I was delighted to do it.

‘Pete wants to drive the club forward off the pitch and he wants me to drive the team forward on the pitch.

‘The club is going in the right direction, Pete’s brought a lot of good people in - it’s a good place to be at the moment.

Pete’s transformed it, he’s really got his teeth into in over the last five or six years. He and the committee have worked so hard to turn it around.

‘I’ve watched a few Fareham games when Pete was manager, I know a lot of the players are what they are capable of.’

Fareham won their opening three games of the season, including a 3-1 home FA Cup win over divisional rivals Hythe & Dibden.

Their 100 per cent run ended with a 1-0 loss at Brockenhurst last weekend in what turned out to be Stiles’ final game as boss.

‘We’ve done ok so far,’ said Rix. ‘When we have everyone fit and available, our starting XI looks strong.

‘The lads have responded great to me so far. We just want to get on a good run, keep clean sheets, win games.

‘Last season they scored a lot and conceded a lot. This year we want to keep on scoring, but not let so many in. I know that sounds simplistic, but that’s got to be our approach.

‘A top eight finish would be a step in the right direction.

‘The ground could still host Southern League football and that’s got to be the aim. But that can’t be the short-term plan, it’s got to be the long-term one.’