High Park have appointed experienced Isle of Wight coach John Sivier as manager, following Stuart Woodmore’s decision to step aside to focus on his son Reggie’s darts career.
John Sivier takes over at High Park, who play in Harwoods Division 1, with Woodmore remaining involved to help ensure a smooth transition. The club has also signed Sivier’s stepson, Mark Taylor, at the same time, further strengthening the link between the new manager and the squad. John will work alongside Jack Leggett as part of the club’s management team.
John has been involved in island football for many years. He played mainly on the mainland before turning out locally for Newport A and Carisbrooke. His coaching career spans 13 years as a youth manager, along with managerial roles at Newport A and Cowes Reserves. He also coached at Holmwood Athletic before taking charge of Vectis Nomads Reserves.
A notable spell came at Pan, where he worked under the legendary Steve Case and helped secure a treble of trophies: the Junior A Cup, Hampshire Vase, and Division 2 title. He later moved to Osborne Coburg, winning the Junior A Cup again and earning promotion to Harwoods Division 1. Most recently, he was assisting Gary Gee at Ventnor before accepting the role at High Park.
On taking the High Park job, John said:
“Mark Taylor is my stepson and reason I took up coaching. Stuart’s son is doing very well at darts and he needs to concentrate on him. He is staying on at the club. High Park have a great bunch of players and a family atmosphere, we want to take this club to the next level and build a team to challenge on all fronts.”
He also paid tribute to outgoing manager Stuart Woodmore, adding:
“Stuart has worked tirelessly and built strong foundations at this club that we can build on. He lives for HP and totally sold the club to me when I met up with him.”
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Sivier further outlined his ambitions for the season ahead:
“We have a good set of players and a good management set-up. We aim to turn this club into one known for its football record rather than its discipline one.”
With his experience across the island and a strengthened backroom team, Sivier looks to guide High Park forward while building on the club’s strong sense of togetherness.
