It feels like an eternity since Neal Ardley left the Dons last month, and having apparently receiving over 80 applications for the vacancy of manager the board whittled it down to three candidates and have finally announced the position has been offered to Wally Downes. Good luck Wally you will have a nice FA Cup 3rd round to enjoy in January but the real work starts on Saturday against Rochdale.
Alan Pardew has been leading the search and Downes has landed the job on a two-and-a-half-year deal. He has been working in India alongside former Crystal Palace boss Steve Coppell at ATK. Wally previously spent a two year stint managing Brentford and has coached extensively in the Championship and Premier League at Reading, Crystal Palace and West Ham. Glyn Hodges comes in as his assistant and he has also coached in the Premier League for Fulham as well as holding senior roles in player development at a number of clubs, including Queens Park Rangers, Stoke City and Manchester City. Simon Bassey will step back from his role as interim manager and continue as first team coach while Stephen Reid, who has been supporting Simon in his role, will step down.
There were reports earlier in the week linking former Bolton and Newcastle player Kevin Nolan with the position which would have been interesting with ex Dons boss Neal Ardley having been unveiled at Nolan's previous managerial appointment with Notts County. Good luck to Neal too.
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