http://trainingground.guru/articles/thomas-appointed-academy-manager-of-watford

good read.

I spoke to Richard Thomas after the Kevin Nolan event at the Southbank, he spoke about wanting to be a manager but this is a good decision by him. The Non League won't help, you have to be something special to claw your way up and have the contacts. I admire his ability, I'm not saying he couldn't but his best work is within youth football.

At Watford he has a greater chance in establishing all the needed connections to make it as a manager, he will see more opportunity to later return to management and I wish him the best of luck.

This is why Kevin Nolan very rarely missed a youth team game or training session, Richard Thomas taught him about the importance and I wish him very well in his new role. He could have done the same job at Notts had Alan Hardy not cut off his own hands.

i am surprised but his reputation working with youths is better than his assistant manager/manager role so i guess it makes sense. i wonder if he will be filling the gap from some of the staff who have recently left watford?

Good luck to him, Watford is a fantastic club for youth development and I hope it works for him.

Good move for Richard Thomas, this is probably the easiest job he could land right now.

Big step up for him, I think he will thrive in the role. Good luck to him.

Notts could have done with someone focused on their youth, Watford are building in the right way. The club should emulate them and others!

If he stays there and in that role for a few seasons he will do well, Watford are producing some good players.

Notts could only dream of having a production of players like that.

Fantastic read great to see former coaching staff doing well. I wish him all the best. He is a nice bloke and Kevin thinks extremely highly of him and he dose the job well and I think he will succeed at Watford. 

He had more experience in this field prior to joining Kevin Nolan right? I don't see why he's not tried to go further in management myself.

Good luck to him