Former Sutton Town and Glapwell manager Les McJannet has formalised his position with Rainworth Miners Welfare after helping out in an unofficial capacity this season.

The one-time Mansfield Town and Darlington defender McJannet was shown the door by UniBond League Glapwell at the end of last season despite guiding the Hall Corner club to the brink of the Division One South Play-offs in their first season at that level after leading them to promotion from the NCEL a year earlier.

Although he has been helping the Wrens' management team since the start of the current campaign, his position was never made official because his ultimate wish is to return to management and his time at Rainworth was designed to keep him in the shop window.

But, the club believe it is right that his work should be recognised and he is now officially first team coach.

Manager Rudy Funk said: "Les is a terrific lad. He and we keep looking around to get him back into management because that's where he deserves to be, but in the meantime he is doing a job here and has committed himself to us for the time being."

Meanwhile, the Wrens have formally indicated their intention to apply to step up to the UniBond League, should they finish in a promotion position at the end of the season.

When Funk and assistant Billy Millar took over at Kirklington Road just over four years ago they stated that their avowed intention was to guide the club through the NCEL and into the UniBond, so Funk is naturally delighted by this development, although there is only one promotion spot.

He said: "It's wonderful that we are making formal application to join the UniBond League because that was our declared intention when we first came to Rainworth. There can't be much to be done to the ground to get up to the next step, so we hope that come the end of the season the team is ready, the ground is ready and we are all ready."

Work has already been carried out on a few identified minor areas where the Kirklington Road arena may have fallen a little short.

And, club officials are confident that ground grading will not be a problem should they finish in a position to make the step up.