Former Gosport bosses Joe Lea and Pat Suraci appointed Havant & Waterlooville joint-managers

Their appointment comes at the end of a week which started with them resigning their posts at divisional rivals Poole Town.

As a result, they have left the club who are now top of the Southern Premier League South for one which is second from bottom.

The pair replace Aaron Martin, who was sacked after a 2-1 league defeat at Bracknell on September 19 – a sixth loss in eight league games in 2026-27.

In all, Hawks lost 11 of Martin’s last 18 seventh tier outings. He had been in charge less than a year, after ex-Pompey coach Shaun North was sacked in early November 2025.

A Hawks statement read: ‘Following an extensive recruitment process, with an exceptional number of applicants, we are delighted to reveal our new Joint Managers.

‘Most recently with Poole Town, the duo of Pat & Joe now undertake the challenge of Hawks bosses going forwards!

‘As players, both Pat Suraci and Joe Lea came through local football Academies with Portsmouth and Southampton before branching off on their own journeys with Belgian side Lommel United and Yeovil Town respectively.

‘Joe joined Gosport Borough in 2018 after time with Bognor Regis Town where he was later joined by Pat before they stepped into Management.

‘Both Joe and Pat have extensive coaching experiences, having led Gosport’s Academy for a number of years alongside development roles at both Chelsea and AFC Bournemouth.’

The pair began their men’s football management career at Petersfield Town. Appointed in the summer of 2022, they guided the Rams to promotion from Division 1 of the Wessex League through the play-offs.

They also guided the club to the Wessex League Cup final, losing 4-2 to higher tier Baffins in the final.

From there, they returned to Gosport in the summer of 2023, leading Boro to a fourth-place Premier South finish. There a side containing Pompey keeper Toby Steward lost in the play-off semi-final to Salisbury, conceding a controversial late penalty winner.

Lea and Suraci subsequently quit Privett Park in January 2025 to take over at Poole, keeping the club up thanks to a late-season run of improved form.

In their first full season with the Dorset club, they again reached the Premier South play-offs, this time losing the semi-final at Gloucester City.

Having resigned as Poole bosses on Monday, Lea and Suraci therefore missed out on the Dolphins’ 3-1 win at Gosport two days later that took them into top spot.

The pair’s first game in charge of Hawks will be next Tuesday’s home game against Basingstoke Town.

No doubt two dates in late November are already ringed in their diaries. On November 21 Lea and Suraci return to Gosport, while seven days later they are back at Poole!

Interim boss Shaun Gale is taking charge of tomorrow’s Premier South game at Wimborne.