Cheltenham Town’s kit manager Gerry Oldham admits he still finds it difficult to call Steve Cotterill ‘gaffer’ as he’s reunited with his lifelong friend at the Robins.
Oldham was given the role at the beginning of December after receiving a phone call from the Cheltenham manager, who he played youth football with at Chiltern Rovers.
However, Oldham has seen a different side of his childhood friend since sharing a dugout with the Robins’ manager.
“I didn’t realise how much work he put into everything.
“His attention to detail and all the little tactical changes he makes during a game, and it surprised me how he hasn’t managed teams higher up from watching him if I’m honest.
“He’s been brilliant to work with, obviously being best friends with him from a young age. To be honest, I’m still trying to get my head around calling him gaffer, which I still can’t get over, but I’ve loved being back with him.”
Although he has only been in the role for two months, Town’s kit manager has already had some memorable moments at the club as he paid tribute to Cotterill’s grandfather Cyril Thornley, who coached the pair at a young age when they were at Stretton.
“From the two months in the role so far, even though my first game was Buxton in the FA Cup where I was just trying to get used to the role as kit manager, but I have to say [the most memorable] would have probably been the Swindon game the following Tuesday night.
“I remember sitting in the dugout alongside Steve, and turned to him and said, ‘what do you think Cyril would say if he saw us tonight.’ And we won that game on the night as well, so that one for me was a real standout moment.”
A strike worthy of winning any game 😮💨#ctfc♦️ pic.twitter.com/dQIjJwwjzr
— Cheltenham Town (@CTFCofficial) December 9, 2025
The former Cheltenham Saracens midfielder has also become a big part of the club on matchdays and at the training ground supporting the players with any of their needs.
Oldham has praised the players for how they have brought him into the Whaddon Road dressing room.
“The relationship has been good with all the players, and the staff welcomed me in well.
“I think at the start you need to prove to a lot of these people that you know your football and have a good understanding of the game, and from then on I’m beginning to understand what their needs are. At the end of the day, you are catering and helping 24 players and many staff as well.
“I was like it as a player where I had different needs when I played, so I was expecting it when I came in, but that’s a part of my job, I really enjoy helping them all out.”
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