His first task will be to steady the ship of a club who endured a terrible 2018/19 season, which ended in relegation to Step 4.  

It was in this same division that Gale made his name. Named as one of the top ten young managers in non-League football, a choice that is justified by his taking neighbours Walton Casuals up in 2017, and then guiding them to survival in the Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division South, during which they won all three league and cup encounters with the Swans.

Gale trialled at a couple of professional clubs at a young age and went on to play over 400 games in senior non-League football, but it as a coach and manager that he has made his name. 

Gaining his UEFA Licence with Advance Youth Module 4, he worked for five years at Chelsea, coaching the boys and the ladies’ academy, and then spent a similar period with Millwall, working with players of all ages from under-8s to under-21s and taking a great deal of satisfaction in helping footballers at the grass-roots level to develop into established senior players.

Gale had been with Walton Casuals for the past four seasons and is proud of the fact that he has helped this ambitious club to its highest ever standing in non-League football. 

As well as gaining promotion, he led them to their first silverware in 40 years and collected six manager of the month awards during his time there. Furthermore, average attendances trebled during his tenure, and he is pleased to have left them on amicable terms at the end of 2018/19 and is now seeking a new challenge and relishing the chance of working with a club with the history and traditions of Staines Town.

At 35 years old, Gale is one of the younger men to have been tasked with bringing success to Staines Town, but crucially he has both the experience and the local knowledge to return the good times to Wheatsheaf Park.

Working alongside him will be Justin Skinner and Mahrez Bettache.

Assistant-manager Skinner also joins from the Stags, where he had been coaching both with the first-team and academies.

Skinner has played as a pro in both the English and Scottish Football Leagues.

Bettache also finished last season at Walton Casuals, but has played in the National League with Braintree Town and St Albans City, as well as Hendon, Potters Bar Town, Corinthian-Casuals, and the Fulham under-18 team. 

He joins as player-coach, and at only 25 will be an important first recruit to Gale’s midfield.