Darren Edmondson has been appointed the new manager of Northern League club Penrith.
The 50-year-old former Carlisle United defender, who went on to manage Workington, Barrow and Bradford Park Avenue, took over from Chris Humphrey who left the Frenchfield club at the end of a disappointing season.
Penrith finished next to bottom of the Northern League’s First Division and looked bound for relegation but were reprieved last week as only Billingham Town went down.
Earlier this month it was announced that Edmondson was involved in setting up an exciting new sporting academy, the Cumbria Institute of Sport at Newton Rigg, the former agricultural college near Penrith.
The Academy will offer a range of sporting academies as well as courses in more familiar academic subjects.
Previously he had spent two years working with Park View Academy of Sport in the north east which has links with Carlisle United.
Park View combines education with full-time training and aims to help teenagers who the pro game has either discarded or not yet picked up.
Coniston-born Edmondson has gained vast experience in the game with over 400 Football League appearances for Carlisle, York, Huddersfield, Plymouth and Chester.
He also managed Workington for six years in National North, won promotion to the National Conference for Barrow before changing directions in 2016 when he left Bradford PA.
He has also worked at his former club Carlisle as head of youth and had a similar position at Rochdale.
Edmondson said: “I have known Billy for years and always admired how he has worked so hard for Penrith so I was really chatting to him about how we might work together, Penrith AFC and the new Institute for Sport.
“We had a few discussions and then it developed rather quickly into a chat with others around the table about the manager’s job.
“I thought why not, it’s a really good time to be joining the club with some exciting plans in the pipeline and at a time when the Institute for Sport is taking shape at Penrith Rigg.
“We are not in a position to be thinking of winning the League but it’s an opportunity to consolidate, grow the club and improve all round which will have benefits for the community.
“I will be sitting down with the chairman and discussing the playing strength, coaching staff for the season ahead and deciding on when we are going to resume training.”
Penrith chairman Bill Williams said: “I am delighted that Darren has agreed to join us as manager. We had several conversations and I think it sparked his desire to manage a club again.
“He is joining the club at an exciting time. We are having Astro turf laid next year and will have other announcements to make over the coming weeks.
“We haven’t actually decided on a date for resuming training ahead of the new season but I know Darren is keen to get started and get his teeth into it.”
