CINDERFORD Town have appointed two ex-players as the club’s new management team, with Chris Burns and Allan Gough taking on the mantel as joint managers.

The pair’s appointment was confirmed by committee member Stuart Tait, who is filling in the club’s chairman role until their AGM on Sunday.

Burns was the club’s player-manager in 2006-2008 before he moved to Spain to play for UD Horadada while working in Alicante.

The former defender re-joins the Causeway club after a player-manager spell with Northern Senior League outfit Brockworth Albion, and replaces title-winning coach John Brough.

Coincidentally, Burns also replaced Brough at Bishop’s Cleeve in April 2014 when the former Cheltenham Town man took the job at Cinderford, but left two months later for Albion.

Burns made 90 appearances for Portsmouth, including an FA Cup semi-final appearance against Liverpool in 1992, between 1990 and 1995 after joining from Sharpness.

He also went on loan to current Premier League sides Swansea City and Bournemouth during that time.

Burns then joined the Welsh side permanently before signing for Northampton Town in the same year.

He spent a season with Northampton in the old Division Three, making 66 appearances, before moving back to the county with Gloucester City.

Burns played 151 games for the Tigers between 1996 and 1999, and then moved to Forest Green Rovers for two years before returning to Meadow Park as player-manager and amassing another 160 appearances.

Gough has similar pedigree, as a former player at Swansea, Cheltenham Town and Swindon.

He took on a physio role at Cheltenham after retiring and is the only member of the previous regime at Cinderford to stay on, holding a physio job with Brough’s team.

“I’m delighted that Allan has decided to take the mantel on with Chris,” Tait said.

“He’s doing it for the benefit of the club and knows the club’s situation. It’s nice to see a member of our previous management team stay with the club.

“The main benefit they both bring is local experience of Gloucestershire. The fans know them well and they have a great football pedigree.

"They’ve already begun building a squad for the new season.

“They are the ideal people to come in and steady the ship at what is a hard time for the club.”