Bath City has officially welcomed Richard Joyce as their new assistant manager, marking a significant addition to Scott Bartlett’s coaching staff. Joyce joins from Evesham United, where he was part of the coaching setup during the latter half of last season.
Bartlett, who has a longstanding professional relationship with Joyce, expressed great confidence in his new deputy. The duo previously worked together at Forest Green Rovers and Weston-super-Mare, forging a strong partnership built on shared successes.
“I am delighted to get Richard on board as my assistant,” Bartlett said. “We have worked closely together for many years, beginning at Forest Green Rovers and continuing through Weston-super-Mare, where he played a vital role in our achievements.”
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Bartlett highlighted Joyce’s expertise in recruitment and opposition analysis. “Joycey is a strong appointment who excels in player recruitment and has unparalleled knowledge of our opponents. Beyond that, he is a consummate professional and a fantastic person who will be an immense asset to Bath City.”
Joyce’s football journey is extensive and varied. He began as Forest Green’s Matchday Media Manager in 2011 and transitioned to Press Officer three years later. He also contributed during Bartlett’s caretaker spell in 2016 at Forest Green and served as a First Team Video Analyst under Mark Cooper in the 2016/17 season when the club secured promotion to the English Football League.
His coaching and analysis career then took him to clubs such as Brimscombe & Thrupp, Redditch United, and Cheltenham Town, before joining Evesham United in the 2018/19 season. In June 2022, Joyce embraced his first managerial role at Thornbury Town in the Hellenic League, initially as joint manager and then sole manager after four months.
Joyce expanded his responsibilities in June 2023 when he became Opposition Analyst at Weston-super-Mare, reuniting with Bartlett. Earlier this year, he stepped down from his Thornbury role to focus on coaching with Evesham United, where he guided the team to their highest-ever finish of 12th in the Hellenic Premier Division.
Reflecting on that achievement, Joyce told Park Life Sport, “Given the competitiveness of the Hellenic Premier Division at Step 5, I’m incredibly proud of what we achieved. Managing Thornbury 171 competitive matches over four years was a massive learning curve, teaching me the importance of tactical setup, player recruitment, and adapting to various challenges.”
Joyce succeeds Jordan Tillson, who had served as assistant manager following Lee Kendall’s departure. While Tillson will remain a player at Bath City, he is currently sidelined with an injury sustained late last season.