Ipswich Wanderers have announced current player, Shane Wardley as their new manager.

The 36-year-old former Cambridge United full-back spent time sidelined due to injury last season at Humber Doucy Lane and has now elected to start his managerial career.

Wardley, a left-back, who has also featured for Leiston and Hadleigh United locally, will be charged with appointing his own coaching and backroom staff to work alongside him and replaces Glenn Read, who announced he was stepping down as manager after more than four years, last month.

Wanderers enjoyed a good run in the FA Vase last season, reaching the last-16, but their league form in the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division suffered as a consequence.

Chairman Keith Lloyd, said the club had not set Wardley any targets for the new season, which will begin in August, but backed the rookie boss to stamp his authority on the club.

“It was Shane’s enthusiasm for the role that convinced the club,” said Lloyd.

“He is keen to get into management, he had a long lay-off after being injured against Canvey Island last season, and had been helping Glenn Read and had got a taste for managing the club.

“He had a change of heart, he was one of the first names I spoke too after Glenn announced his retirement.

“He is still young enough to play and wasn’t sure whether he wanted to manage now or later, but he has now decided that this is the right move for him.”

Lloyd believes Wardley may choose to focus solely on managing the club rather than playing and believes he will be able to mould a competitive squad for next season.

“He will have his own ideas and he expressed some of them at his interview,” added Lloyd.

“He will have learned a lot from Glenn Read and he will be looking forward to managing in the Premier Division, but we have not set him any targets as such.

“Shane will want to achieve the best he can for the club and he has players at the club that will want to play for him and he will be able to bring in players too that he knows.”

The Wanderers’ post proved to be a popular one for applicants and Lloyd explained the club considered candidates from several levels of non-league football.

“We interviewed three people and had over a dozen applicants who genuinely wanted the job,” he revealed.

“Shane was the third person we spoke to, but we had applicants from clubs at a higher and lower levels.”