Delwyn takes up the hot seat at Shifnal

Delwyn Humphreys today jumped back on the Shropshire football merry-go-round as he took up the vacant Shifnal Town manager's position.

Humphreys has won the race to succeed Darren Goodall who resigned at the end of the season, having guided the Phoenix Park club to an eighth place finish in the Midland Alliance.

The former Kidderminster, Northwich and Stafford Rangers striker represented England's non-League team eight times.

He has managed Meole Brace and Shawbury and was assistant to Simon Line at Market Drayton Town.

This will be the first time he has managed alone at Alliance level, and he faces a tough baptism with no playing budget in place.

"I have been itching to get back into it for the last six months and the right job hasn't come up," said Humphreys, who will announce his assistant next week.

"This has come up at a very good level of football and it's going to be a real challenge with no budget. The more people were telling me not to go for it, the more I thought it would be a real challenge."

Shifnal spokesman Kevin Fullerton said: "We interviewed four people and I think it was the Delwyn's pedigree which swung it for the committee. He has got an excellent playing background and his record as a manager is good.

"Our aim is to finish in the top half – anything else would be unrealistic."