Gainsborough Trinity, a seventh-tier club in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, has issued a strong condemnation against an individual falsely posing as their manager, Russ Wilcox. The club reported that the imposter has contacted numerous players across various levels of non-league football with fraudulent transfer offers and wage proposals.
In a statement released Wednesday, Gainsborough Trinity's Chief Executive Officer Matt Boles clarified that these approaches were not made by Wilcox or on behalf of the club. "We strongly condemn the actions of the individual responsible," Boles stated. "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 club has alerted both the FA and the Northern Premier League to the impersonation. Boles explained that Gainsborough became aware of the situation when managers and officials from other clubs contacted Wilcox directly, expressing doubts about the authenticity of the messages sent to their players. These individuals recognized that the tactics and communication style were inconsistent with Wilcox's professional conduct.
Wilcox has managed Gainsborough Trinity since 2023, following previous roles at Scunthorpe United and York City. Under his management, the club has had notable FA Cup runs, reaching the second round in the 2024-25 season and the first round last season. Gainsborough currently sits eighth in the league standings with 13 points from eight matches.
Boles concluded his statement with a direct message to the impersonator: "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."