Team Brazier takes on Marine mission

Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Marine have promoted from within, replacing departed manager Kevin Lynch with former player and assistant manager Phil Brazier.

The Premier Division Mariners released news of Brazier's promotion to the top job at the Arriva Stadium on Tuesday night. Brazier, pictured signing alongside Mariners Chairman Paul Leary, left, and Secretary Richard Cross, is 35 and joined Marine as a player from Vauxhall Motors in 2006.

Since April 2009 he'd been assistant manager to Lynch, working alongside him over four seasons before he left in the final week of April. Former player and coach Peter Cumiskey returns to the club as assistant manager while current player Robbie Lawton will coach the first team as well as continue to play.

Marine say the appointments follow the completion of interviews with senior club officials earlier this week. Chairman Paul Leary believes Brazier and his team will be well received by supporters and is delighted with the continuity the move offers to everyone at the club.

Leary said: "This has been a diligent process that clearly identified Phil as our new manager. His appointment provides the many benefits of continuity and to promote him from within is well deserved.

"The management and officials of Marine are clearly delighted to have appointed him as our new manager and his choice of Peter and Robbie as his backroom staff is excellent. They are both experienced Non-League campaigners who will play a key role in supporting Phil as our new manager.

"I am sure that this announcement will be well received by our fans and I have no doubt that Phil and his backroom team, including kitman Gary Trowler, will work very hard to continue to build on the progress made in the last few seasons.

"I congratulate Phil on his appointment as our new manager and look forward to working with him in the years ahead. I also welcome back Marine favourite Peter Cumiskey to the Arriva Stadium as his assistant and I also congratulate Robbie Lawton on his appointment as player coach, his first role as a coach in his long Non-League football career."

New Mariners manager Brazier thanked the club for his appointment, describing it as an 'honour' before saying he was looking forward to entertaining fans next season by continuing to develop the attractive brand of football that has become the club's hallmark.

Brazier said: "Firstly, I would like to thank Paul [Leary], the interviewing panel and the Marine committee for putting their faith in me and my new backroom team. Together we aim to continue the previous good work, with a few key additions, to what I believe is a squad capable of challenging for trophies.

"It is has been a privilege to not only have played for and latterly coached such an established institution that is Marine Football Club, but to now manage this great non-league football team is an honour that cannot be put into words.

"Again, I would like to thank everyone at Marine for their support and look forward to the hard work that will be required in bringing success and entertaining football to Marine Football Club."