New Knaresborough Town manager Rob Hunter is delighted to have former midfielder Simon Parkes as his assistant.
Parkes, the well-known ex-Harrogate Railway and Knaresborough star, is taking his first steps in the coaching world alongside Hunter and first team coach Colin Heath.
“Simon is a young lad who is keen to get involved in Non League management,” Hunter told Non League Yorkshire.
“He’s just started doing his badges and he’s suffered a lot with injuries.
“I’ve known him a long time and I’ve known his family all my life.
“He’s a great guy and still a young man who has ambitions to be involved at a good level of football.
“Having him around the players in the changing room is going to be fantastic and I’m really excited to be working with him.”
Hunter has also admitted that he was unsure if he would ever set foot back in a dugout following his exit from Garforth Town in October 2019.
He spent the ill-fated 2020/21 watching his son Sean play for Campion.
“I think you never say never,” he said.
“I loved my time at Garforth Town and I couldn’t speak any higher of (owners) Craig (Bannister) and Brian (Close), but when I left I was going through a pretty tough time because of family reasons.
“At that time I didn’t think I’d get back involved (in management).
“But when I was watching my son (Sean) play at Campion I spent a lot of time talking to James Bicknell and Lee Ashforth and when I watched some of those games I started to miss the changing room and training involvement.
“I’ve had more and more players ringing in the last few months asking me if I was going to get back involved and it got me thinking.
“But it had to be the right job for me.
“When I went to Glasshoughton they were in a tough predicament, as were Garforth.
“It was more about survival than anything else. Going into Knaresborough with a project and knowing how much hard work is involved has reinvigorated me and I’ve got the excitement and enthusiasm back.
“I didn’t think I’d get that feeling back.
“I’m back, if you like, in a role that really excites me.”