FORMER Gillingham and Leeds goalkeeper Mark Beeney has been appointed as the new manager of Sittingbourne. Beeney, who will be joined at Central Park by Dover assistant manager Steve Nolan, beat off four other candidates to take over from manager John Roles who quit in September.

Beeney will take control of team affairs for the match against Burnham on Tuesday night and leave the side in the hands of James Creed for Saturday's match against Spalding.

Beeney was on Dover's books this season but had been out on loan at Tonbridge Angels.

John Pitts, Bourne's press officer, said the Beeney/Nolan duo was head and shoulders above the other candidates. He said: "We are very pleased to have someone of Mark's quality, experience and contacts which will be very important to us.

"I think he will bring fresh ideas to the club. In the past we have tended to promote from within and I think that it was time for a change. I hope Mark and Steve will also bring professionalism and organisation to the team to get us up the table."