CHURCHSTOKE Football Club have appointed Gary Jones as their new manager.

The Marketmen have endured a testing start to the MMP-NL Mid Wales League One season with Andrew Green stepping down as manager after just three games.

The Cae Camlad club has now looked to Jones who has earned admiration for his work with Newtown-based Maesyrhandir.

Jones said: “It’s a great opportunity for myself as Churchstoke was my first club.

“My aim is to build the team around the local youngsters for the future and ensure the club continues to improve on and off the pitch.”

A club statement read: “All at the club would like to welcome Gary Jones as our first team manager.

“He’s a young manager with some great plans for the future for the club. It’s a tough job to come into a new team but the boys and backroom staff are all behind him.”

Jones has already been busy re-shaping his squad with Jake Baker, Bob Rogers and Rob Harvey following him from Maesyrhandir while defender Ben Edwards has departed for Bishops Castle Town.

Meanwhile Maesyrhandir have begun the search to appoint a successor and build on the strides made under Jones in recent years.

Under Jones’ tenure the club climbed to Honda Division One of the J T Hughes Montgomeryshire League while earning a reputation for an attractive brand of football.

The Newtown club is looking to appoint a new manager to run team affairs alongside player-coach Joe Evans.