STRUGGLING Redditch United have appointed ex-Football League player Duane Darby as their new manager.

Darby will take charge for Saturday's Southern League Premier Division Central visit to Peterborough Sports.

He amassed more than 400 senior appearances, scoring over 100 times as a centre-forward at clubs including Hull City, Doncaster Rovers and Notts County.

Birmingham-born Darby, 46, helped Rushden and Diamonds to promotion to the Football League and also played for the likes of Hednesford Town, Alvechurch and Nuneaton Borough.

He was manager at Bromsgrove Rovers for eight months in 2008 and had a short spell in charge of Cradley Town.

The Reds, who are second from bottom in the table, only announced the departure of previous manager Ian King yesterday.

Chairman Chris Swan said: “I am very excited to announce Duane as our new manger.

"When we met it was clear that Duane had a drive and passion that will be infectious to us all.

"At this point in the season we now need to fight for every point and I am very confident Duane can set our dressing room up to push us higher up in the league over the coming months ”

Darby said: “I am really looking forward to the challenge.

"We have a plan to get this club moving forward again and this will see us engage more with the fans to create a style of football that they want to see and put some much-needed points on the board.

"We’re very aware of the talent within the current squad, our league position could have been very different had some of the narrow results swung our way.

"We’ve identified a handful of new players we’d like to speak to over the next week and the Reds fans should be seeing some exciting new additions announced very soon.

“I am keen to work as a manager not just with the first team but to help the whole club develop.

"I am very eager to engage with the club’s academy and reserve set-up to develop players from within the club.

"This is exactly what a club like ours should be doing.”