AFC Mansfield have announced that club captain Phil Buxton has become the Bulls' new first team manager.

He takes over from Matt Chatfield who stepped down last week to become part of the coaching setup under the new boss Carlton Palmer at Northern Premier League side Grantham Town.

Buxton first joined AFC Mansfield as a player back in 2012 and has gone to make over 300 appearances for the club, helping the Bulls rise up the leagues and gain promotion from Toolstation NCEL Division One five years ago.

He was made joint U21s manager in 2020 and oversaw nine matches in total, most recently in a beyond-closed-doors friendly at the Forest Town Arena against Dronfield Town.

Buxton said: "I'm extremely happy and proud to be appointed the manager of AFC Mansfield.

"It's obviously a club that I know very well and I thank the chairman for trusting me with the position."

Chairman Andrew Saunders added: "I'm happy Phil has accepted the position of first-team manager.

"He is someone I've known for a long time, and knows the club inside out."

The Bulls have also confirmed that Joe Kearney, holder of a UEFA-B Licence, will be joining Buxton in the dug out.