Ex-North Shields assistant manager Andy Bowman joins Blyth Town

Bowman, who helped lead North Shields to victory in the 2015 FA Vase final at Wembley, had previously been manager and coach at the North Tyneside club for eight years before leaving in October last year.

A renowned goalscorer legend for North Shields, Whitley Bay and Morpeth Town, the 38-year-old brings with him a wealth of experience in the Northern League.

Blyth Town manager Mick Connor said: “To get someone of this calibre to join myself and Ian Irving to assist the team in our vision to drive up the football pyramid is making the dream a reality.

“Andy brings with him so much experience and connections that can only further strengthen the squad to get us to be where we want and need to be over the next few years, and it is an honour to have him join us.

“The progression we have made as a club this season alone has been phenomenal and bringing people like Andy in will only aid us in progressing even quicker to qualify for promotion and achieve our goals.”

With an abundance of success leading North Shields to win the Northern League second division and promotion, a Northumberland Senior Cup win last year and the FA Vase at Wembley in 2015, Bowman is ready to take on a new challenge.

He said: “The ambition and vision of Blyth Town FC is infectious – I have never known a club to enter a new league with so much fight and determination for promotion, it is refreshing.

“Although it was hard to leave North Shields, it was the right time for me to go and I am excited for the new challenge working with Blyth Town FC first team will bring.”

With a strategic plan to primarily get the club promoted from the second division in the Northern League, his ambition is to put the squad in a good position within the first division.

He continued: “I know what it takes to win the league and with a strong management team at Blyth and good connections, I believe we will start to bring the vision into fruition over the next few years.”

Blyth Town FC first team chairman Barry Elliott’s future goal is to take the team to League Two as a minimum.

Bowman will officially start working with the team from the beginning of next season, which kicks-off in August.

For more information and to keep up to date on all Blyth Town FC first team news, follow on Twitter @BlythTownFCFT or visit www.blythtownfirstteam.co.uk