Football
Bees' favourites are named as new management duo

STUDLEY have stuck close to home in their search for a new management team by appointing Lee Knight and Ian Mitchell to the roles.

Former Bees centre back Knight has left his first managerial post as boss of Midland Combination Premier Division outfit Racing Club Warwick to take charge of Studley and his number two will be Mitchell, who remains on the playing staff at the Beehive and who also played with Knight at Redditch United.

Thirty-four-year-old Knight immediately stressed the emphasis was on assembling a squad of players "hungry to play for the club" and that the current Studley players would have their chance to impress the new managerial set-up before any decisions are made as to which players will make up next season's squad, which he hopes will be around 20-strong.

Studley chairman Barry Cromwell is delighted the club have been able to act so swiftly to replace long-serving Lee Adams who, along with his brother and number two Glen, stepped down at the end of the Midland Alliance season.

Cromwell said: "The decision was made following the receipt of numerous applications and a session of interviews.

"Both individuals have previously played for the Bees and are therefore well known to us, so the Studley bootroom still flourishes.

"During the interview Lee and Ian both outlined their thoughts and plans for next season, which were very much alligned with our own.

"They recognised there were good foundations already in existence from the previous team of Lee and Glen Adams that they were intending to build on."

He added: "We would also like to place on record our immense gratitude to Lee and Glen Adams who have been a pleasure to work with and we know they will always be part of Studley Football Club.

"They took over at a difficult time and steadied the ship. With ongoing improvement they took us to our best ever season in 2010/11 with some great performances and experiences.

"Their decision to stand down I know was very difficult but I can confirm totally amicable. We wish them all the very best.

"Next season is now the challenge and, while everybody looks forward to the break, pre-season will soon be upon us and Lee and Ian are already working to ensure we are ready."

Look out in the Standard in the coming weeks for news from the new men at the helm on how their plans for the 2012/13 season are taking shape.

Meanwhile, the status quo looks set to be preserved at Studley's Alliance neighbours Alvechurch, whose committee have indicated they would like joint bosses Vaughan Pearshouse and Graham Scott to remain at the helm at Lye Meadow and continue their excellent work of last season which saw Alvechurch power impressively to survival.

Pearshouse said the duo would meet with the committee in the very near future to hopefully finalise matters so team-building plans for next season could begin in earnest.

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