Gainsborough Trinity Condemns Impersonation of Manager

Gainsborough Trinity have condemned an individual who has been posing as their manager and making bogus transfer and wage offers to players across non-league football.

The Northern Premier League Premier Division side say the person has contacted "a number of players" at various levels of the non-league pyramid, falsely claiming to represent the club and boss Russ Wilcox.

Club CEO Matt Boles moved quickly to distance Gainsborough and Wilcox from the approaches, stressing that none of the messages had come from the manager or anyone acting on the club’s behalf.

He said on the club’s website: "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 hoax only came to light when managers and officials from other clubs began contacting Wilcox directly, convinced that something was not right.

"Many have done so precisely because they know Russ, know the professional standards by which he conducts himself, and immediately recognised that this is not the manner in which he would approach or attempt to recruit a player," Boles explained.

Once the pattern became clear, the tone hardened. Boles delivered a blunt message to the impersonator.

"Enough is enough," he said. "Stop impersonating our manager, stop wasting the time of players and clubs across the non-league game and, quite frankly, get a life."

Gainsborough, who reached the FA Cup second round in 2024-25 and the first round the previous season under Wilcox, have reported the matter to both the Northern Premier League and the Football Association.

Wilcox, appointed in 2023 after previous managerial spells at Scunthorpe United and York City, built his reputation over a long playing career with Northampton Town, Hull City, Doncaster Rovers, Preston North End and Scunthorpe.

His name now sits at the centre of a hoax he did nothing to start – and one the club are determined to shut down.