Russell takes return ticket

Hucknall Town have handed former Mansfield Town manager Duncan Russell the job of leading them back into the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League.

The Yellows, relegated from First Division South in April, announced on Tuesday that they'd turned to Russell, pictured, who's coached some of England's top players in recent times, including Matthew Le Tissier and Paul Gascoigne,

Former Jamaican international striker Paul Hall, who won forty-one international caps and played in the 1998 World Cup, has been appointed as Hall's assistant at Watnall Road.

Hall, 40, made more than 600 Football League appearances, turning out for clubs such as Torquay, Coventry, Walsall, Rushden & Diamonds, Tranmere, Chesterfield and Portsmouth, where he made 188 appearances between 1993 and 1998.

Former Blackburn Rovers, Derby County, Walsall, Wolverhampton Wanderers and MK Dons coach Russell, 55, joined Mansfield in May 2010 as assistant manager to David Holdsworth. Following Holdsworth's sacking by the Stags in November of that year, he took over as caretaker before taking control permanently.

But Russell's contract was not renewed at the end of the 2010-11 season and he subsequently left Field Mill. His final game as Mansfield boss came at Wembley in the 2011 FA Trophy Final when the Stags lost 1-0 to a late extra-time goal from Darlington.

Russell and Hall's new charges are expected to be placed in the Northern Counties East League.