We are delighted to announce and welcome our new First Team Manager Keith Rowland, who will be Assisted by Joe Keith.

Keith has had a fantastic career in football by playing in the Football League and Premier League for the likes of Bournemouth, West Ham United, Coventry City, Queens Park Rangers and Luton Town. Rowland gained 19 caps for Northern Ireland scoring one goal in a 1–0 win against Finland on 10 October 1998. He was first capped whilst with West Ham making his international debut on 8 September 1993 against Latvia. His final game came on 9 May 1999 in a 1–0 win against Ireland.

The 47 year old, former defender, started his coaching career at Mill Field for Aveley under Rod Stringer helping to guide us into the Play-off places in the Isthmian Premier League. He followed Stringer over to Braintree Town in May 2010 where he was First-Team Coach. Rowland stayed at Braintree and became Assistant Manager to Alan Devonshire in 2011.

Following that Keith joined as First Team Manager of Wingate & Finchley in the Isthmian Premier League and had a successful near three-year tenure which had Rowland bring two record-high league finishes to the club as well as a play-off spot after a 2016/17 campaign in which Wingate ended the season fifth.

Keith departed Wingate in October 2018 and has now been appointed as Aveley Football Clubs First Team Manager.

Joining Keith Rowland as his First Team Assistant Manager is former Midfielder, Joe Keith. Joe started his playing career at West Ham United, coming runners up in the FA Youth Cup in 1995-96. He joined Colchester United in 1999 and went on to score 28 goals in 247 league and cup appearance for the club in six seasons. He joined Bristol City on a brief loan spell but then spent two years with Leyton Orient playing 53 times. Keith signed for Brentford in January 2007 on a five-month contract, linking up with former Colchester teammate and then Brentford manager Scott Fitzgerald. He played 18 games for Brentford, scoring twice, before being released in May 2007.

After being released by Brentford, he dropped into non-league football, joining AFC Hornchurch. In August 2008 Keith went on to play for Tilbury of the Isthmian League First Division North where Keith spent a successful 2008–2009 season playing 42 league games and scoring 11 goals plus Keith was instrumental in helping the Dockers win their first Silverware since 1975 when they won the Isthmian League Cup, beating Harrow Borough 2–0 in April 2009.

In the 2009–10 season Keith took a player/coach role at Tilbury where he was joined by former teammate Lee Hodges.

After a spell as a coach with East Thurrock United he joined local rivals Canvey Island as assistant manager in February 2016. Joe then joined Tilbury as First Team Manger but left after 13 months in charge of the Dockers. Joe will now team up with Keith in the Aveley Dugout. You will be able to hear from the Manager in an interview this evening.

Millers CEO Craig Johnson on the appointment of Keith Rowland: "Firstly of all, I must stress that we have been overwhelmed with the amount and quality of the applicants that have applied for the vacant managers position.

We have spent many hours over the past 8 days mulling over CV's talking to potential candidates and interviewing a short list of selected applicants.

In appointing Keith Rowland, we feel we have selected a man that has the necessary skills and attributes to take this club on our journey. Keith knows the club well having previously worked under Rod Stringer in what was our most recent successful period some 10 years ago. Since then Keith has worked at the higher end of the non league pyramid, gaining valuable managerial experience in recent seasons.

We are delighted that Keith has accepted the role, and look forward to a successful working relationship with him.

I am sure the supporters will get right behind Keith starting with our game at home to Maldon & Tiptree on Saturday."

Their first game in charge will be this Saturday at home to top of the table and last seasons Play-Off Runners up Maldon & Tiptree. 3PM Kick Off, Parkside, RM15 4PX.

We are also showing Southampton v Manchester United Live in the small bar from 12.30PM, so get on down to Parkside early for what is a massive game between The Millers and Jammers, enjoy the early football and get ready to cheer on your team at 3PM.

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