Former Middlesbrough, Birmingham City and Hartlepool defender Stuart Parnaby has joined the management team at Spennymoor Town.
Parnaby, 37, is based in Spennymoor and linked up with the squad for the first time on Tuesday evening ahead of Saturday’s game at home to Kettering Town.
The right back enjoyed a 15-year professional playing career, most notably featuring in the Premier League for Boro and Birmingham, before a short spell with Pools during the 2014/15 campaign.
Seven months after announcing his retirement, Parnaby re-joined Hartlepool as the club’s pre-rehabilitation and conditioning coach, before joining Martin Gray’s backroom staff at York City in July 2018.
Following Gray’s departure at Bootham Crescent, he was appointed Assistant Manager by Sam Collins before departing in January 2019.
After agreeing terms with the club, Parnaby said: “This is a great opportunity for me to work alongside two top quality men in Jason and Tommy.
“Spennymoor is a family club and it seems like the squad is made up of a great set of lads and the atmosphere in the dressing room is fantastic.
“Hopefully I can have a positive impact on the squad and be part of something special for the town.”
Jason Ainsley was delighted with the arrival of Parnaby. He said: “Stuart is a perfect fit for our management team after Paul’s departure, and after meeting him and seeing his enthusiasm about what we have built at the club, it was a no brainer.
“He is a Spennymoor lad who has watched a lot of our games, and he will bring his own strengths and ideas to complement Tommy and myself. We feel this will benefit us in the second half of the campaign.
“I’m sure everyone will make Stuart welcome at the club.”