FORMER Redditch United manager Paul Davis has linked up with Stratford Town as part of a new-look first team management set-up led by Tom Baillie.
The Southern Premier Central team confirmed head of football Baillie, the former title-winning Kettering Town boss, will take charge in a new structure which will also include caretaker bosses Steve Walker and Nathan Marsh.
Walker and Marsh had stepped in after former boss Darren Byfield left before Baillie joined the club.
Walker will revert to his previous post as academy manager, while Marsh will return to his role as goalkeeping coach.
The Town directors said that, after much deliberation over the last few weeks, the club decided to seek a new direction and after discussions with a number of targets Baillie was offered the role last week.
“Once the club had defined there was a role available I had no hesitation in accepting as the club has a fantastic set-up, good people running the club and through my contacts I have only heard positive things,”
“It’s the right opportunity at the right time to bring me back into football management.
“The first people I called after being offered the job were Marshy and Walks whom I have known for a long time and explained the situation.
“We are building a fantastic squad and it is an exciting time for the club and the players.”
Baillie will also link up with Scott Machin, with the pair having worked together to take Kettering to the Southern League Division One Central title in 2014/15, and Davis, who was axed as Redditch boss last month.
Both Machin and Davis are UEFA B coaches.
Walker said: “I want to say a big thank-you to the club and supporters for the help and support Nathan and I have received over the last month whilst acting as caretaker managers for the first team.
“We want to thank the club for the opportunity and especially the players who have been outstanding over that period, displaying great desire and appetite to learn. We are very happy to work with Thomas and support him to continue the work that has already begun.”
In a statement the board said: “We would like to place on record our sincere thanks to Steve and Nathan for doing such a great job as caretaker managers over the past month and we are delighted they will be staying with the club.
“We are also delighted to welcome two highly-qualified coaches in Scott and Paul which will only strengthen and deepen the coaching quality at the club”.
After no fixture last weekend, Stratford return to action on Saturday with a trip to King’s Lynn Town before they head to Alvechurch for a CSS League Cup first round tie on Tuesday.
