Non-League Gainsborough Trinity warns Of fake Russ Wilcox

In the modest office of Gainsborough Trinity, staff stared at a series of emails that appeared to come from manager Russ Wilcox, offering inflated wages and speculative transfers to unsuspecting players. The non-league club confirmed it was aware an individual was masquerading as Wilcox.

Impersonation claims spark FA involvement

The impostor, while posing as Wilcox, sent wage proposals and hinted at potential moves, prompting the Northern Premier League and the Football Association to be alerted. Both bodies have been made aware of the incident and are monitoring the situation.

FA regulations expressly forbid direct contact between managers and players, insisting that all transfer approaches must be routed through formal club‑to‑club communications. Breaching this rule can lead to sanctions for both the individual and any club that inadvertently engages.

Wilcox's background and club's season

Gainsborough Trinity CEO Matt Boles issued a statement: “We want to make it categorically clear that these approaches have not been made by Russ Wilcox, nor have they been made on behalf of Gainsborough Trinity Football Club.”

Boles added, “We strongly condemn the actions of the individual responsible. Impersonating a football manager and making false representations to players is completely unacceptable and has the potential to cause unnecessary disruption and reputational damage to players, managers and clubs.”

The chief executive thanked managers and club officials who contacted Wilcox directly after receiving the bogus approaches. “Finally, to the person responsible: enough is enough. Stop impersonating our manager, stop wasting the time of players and clubs across the non‑league game and, quite frankly, get a life,” he said.

Russ Wilcox has been in charge of Gainsborough since September 2023. His résumé includes spells at Scunthorpe United, York City and Farsley Celtic, and a decade‑long partnership with Brian Laws, first as assistant at Scunthorpe and later at Sheffield Wednesday in 2006. The pair reunited at Burnley in January 2010, but could not avert Premier League relegation at the end of the 2009/10 campaign. (Getty)

Competing in the seventh tier of English football, Gainsborough currently sit eighth in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, one place outside the play‑off spots, with four wins, one draw and three defeats from eight games, totalling 13 points, six behind leaders Cleethorpes Town. The club will look to put the off‑field drama behind them when they host Avro on Saturday, before travelling to Leamington on September 19 for an FA Cup second‑qualifying‑round tie.