An understanding of Oxhey Jets’ place in its local community whilst ensuring the team is competitive at step 5 level were key factors in the appointment of the club’s new management team.

The Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division side have appointed former Tring Athletic boss Kevin Christou as manager, while James Gibbs joins as his assistant from Northwood.

The club is also seeking to make two further appointments to a coaching set-up that will continue to involve Jets stalwart Wayne Gladdy.

The new staff will take charge of their first game on Saturday when Jets visit Flackwell Heath, with club founder and general manager John Elliott admitting he was impressed with the support he had received from Christou even when another coach was close to getting the job.

Elliott felt the club needed “a fresh start” following the resignation of Stuart Atkins at the end of last month and told the Watford Observer: “We had over half a dozen very strong applications but in many cases I was concerned at the distance from the club they were from.

“Kevin was in touch with me and supportive even when he knew I had partly reached agreement with another pairing, still offering temporary help.

“I was more and more swaying Kevin’s way as I knew he had operated at a relatively local club, and we needed a 70 per cent rebuild.

“Kevin fitted the role and we met on Saturday along with his choice of assistant James Gibbs who we instantly got on really well with, so it was very easy to say yes. Both understood the backbone of how the club operates in the local community whilst being a competitive step 5 club.”

Elliott will be hoping the new management team bring some much-needed stability after a very difficult few weeks which have Jets on the receiving end of some heavy defeats, having been forced to field makeshift teams after a number of players followed Atkins out of the exit door.