Bradford Park Avenue manager Benny Phillips has appointed an assistant and a chief scout as he grooms his regime for a first full season with the UniBond Division One club.

Lee Coathup will be Phillips' assistant and Wayne Porter is to fulfil the scouting role.

"Benny has hand-picked these men, who have both been colleagues of his before," said Avenue chairman John Dean.

"From what I understand, they have both played at a high level in their earlier days."

"Lee, who is quite a young man, is Benny's choice as number two while Wayne has vast experience of the game and will be searching for new talent and watching potential opponents."

Dean confirmed that the new recruits have come on board only after the previous management team departed.

Phil Sharpe and Clive Freeman steered Avenue towards the Division One play-offs after taking over too late to prevent relegation the previous season.

Neither was in a position to step into the full-time role that was created when local millionaire businessman Robert Blackburn bought a major shareholding in the club and became chief executive.

It is a credit to Sharpe and Freeman, both former players under Trevor Storton in some of Avenue's best years since the club reformed, that they wanted to stay on until the end of the season to allow a smooth transition.

"The contracts that tied Phil and Clive to the club have been dissolved, it is not a case of terminating them," said Dean.

"I think everyone at the club would want to join me in thanking them for what they have done for us over the 13 or 14 months they have been here.

"It was always expected that the new manager would want to bring in his own choice of backroom staff."

Meanwhile, the chairman remains hopeful that Newcastle United will commit to a pre-season friendly at Horsfall Stadium to crown a high-profile build-up to what is Avenue's centenary season.

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