SMITH GETS A SPORTING CHANCE, AGAIN

BROMSGROVE Sporting let go of manager Tim Flowers to start a ‘new rebuild’ on and off the field – and ended up re-hiring their old manager!

The Southern Premier Central side announced the shock departure of the former England goalkeeper straight after Saturday’s 2-1 victory at Stratford Town.

And less then 48 hours later, Sporting had unveiled former boss Paul Smith back to the Victoria Ground hotseat, six years after he left.

In a four-year spell in charge, from 2014 to 2018, Smith led the club unbeaten through the 2016-17 Midland League

Division One campaign – a season which also saw the club reach the FA Vase semi-finals.

And the former Halesowen Town boss says he had no qualms whatsoever about returning to his spiritual home.

“I’m delighted to be back,” Smith told the club’s website. “I have some wonderful memories from my first stint at the club and we had a fantastic few years.

“It’s all come around quite quickly, but once I spoke with [chairman] Rod (Brown) and [finance director] Richard (Boorn) about what they wanted to do, and how I could help them grow the club again, I was excited.

“Don’t get me wrong, this is probably the toughest job I’ve taken on; the club is in a rebuilding process off the pitch, and that will take time, but they’ve made a fantastic start to that.”

Chairman Rod Brown commented: “Paul is fully understanding of the financial restraints there will be whilst we are building the club, but he is very confident that we can build a side to compete in this league.”