FOOTBALL: MARK Yates has been named the new manager of Solihull Moors FC.
Yates will be supported by England player Tim Flowers, who will act as Yates’ support man.
Yates and Flowers join the Moors following the departures of Richard Money and Liam McDonald earlier this season.
Between them, they have 27 years of experience coaching in both the Football League and Non-League.
The club revealed they were ‘inundated’ with applications, but director Simon Hawker believes the partnership Yates and Flowers offer is an exciting one.
He said: “Together, they provide the depth of experience and enthusiasm necessary to give Solihull Moors the best chance of climbing the league.”
Moors currently sit bottom of the National League having won just three of their opening 19 fixtures – meaning they’re six points short of safety.
Yates joins after appearing in almost 600 games in a playing career spanning 16 years.
Born in Birmingham, Yates started with Blues before moving onto clubs including Burnley, Doncaster Rovers, Cheltenham Town and Kidderminster Harriers.
After a season coaching at Burnley it was with Kidderminster that he first took the hot seat, leading the club away from relegation in the Conference and the following season taking them to Wembley in the FA Trophy.
He took over at Cheltenham Town in 2009 and steered the club away from relegation to non-league football.
By the end of the 2011/12 season he guided the Robins to the playoff final, a feat he repeated the following campaign.
After a spell at Crawley Town, Mark now basis himself in Worcestershire.
He said: “This is an exciting appointment and it is great to be back doing what I do best.
“Both Tim and I know that we need points to turn the season around, starting at Maidstone which is going to be tough.
“We need to get our ideas across to the players quickly and we need to give direction and hope.
“I am raring to meet the squad at training tonight.”
Meanwhile Flowers, born in Kenilworth, started his goalkeeping career with Wolverhampton and has appeared for England on 11 occasions.
Since hanging up his boots in 2003, Flowers had been goalkeeping coach at Leicester City, Manchester City, Northampton Town, Nottingham Forest, and Fulham.
He has also been assistant manager at Coventry, Queens Park Rangers, Hull, and Kidderminster.
He said: “Our position is tough.
“Nevertheless, we both have experience dealing with situations just like this and we need to instil confidence in the players.
“I have watched several of the matches and most have been ‘nip and tuck’.
“The games have been tight, but it requires a monumental effort to change things around.”
