'Get a life' - non-league club condemn man impersonating manager

What the report says

Gainsborough Trinity have publicly condemned an individual who has been contacting footballers while pretending to be the club’s manager, Russ Wilcox. According to BBC Sport, the false approaches involved offers about transfers and wages, and the messages were sent to players at a range of levels across non-league football.

The club said it wanted to make clear that any such communication was not authorised by Wilcox or by Gainsborough Trinity. Chief executive Matt Boles said the behaviour was unacceptable because it could disrupt players and clubs and damage reputations. He said the issue came to light after managers and officials at other clubs checked directly with Wilcox because they suspected the contact was not genuine.

BBC Sport reported that Boles urged the person responsible to stop, and the club has informed both the Northern Premier League and The Football Association. Gainsborough Trinity play in the seventh tier of English football and reached the FA Cup second round in 2024-25 after making the first round in the previous season. Wilcox has managed the club since 2023 and previously held roles at Scunthorpe United and York City. The episode is a reminder of how false recruitment claims can create confusion in the non-league game, where player movement and communications often rely on direct contact and trust.