DARREN EDMONDSON, who took Barrow to the Conference North title last season, has been put in caretaker charge of Bradford Park Avenue until the end of the current campaign, replacing Martin Drury.
Drury stepped up from assistant to replace John Deacey as manager last April but his first season in charge has been an inconsistent one.
Avenue are through to the West Riding County Cup final but Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat to Tamworth left them in 18th and just two points above the National League North relegation zone.
The rookie boss, alongside assistant Jamie Price, stood down by “mutual agreement” with Edmondson named as boss until the end of the season.
The former Workington manager left ambitious Barrow in November with the Bluebirds sitting 16th in the National League.
He is now back in the dugout with Avenue and his first game in charge will be Wednesday’s home clash against Chorley.
Owner Gareth Roberts says “a fresh outlook is needed” with chairman John Dean adding: “Martin and Jamie are very popular in our club community and there will be genuine sadness that we have to part company with them for now.
“Despite their excellent coaching and superb work ethic, they’ve simply been unable to produce consistent results on the pitch so far.
“For now, we need a more experienced manager and some wins to bring safety for this season and put us in a stronger position for next season. We feel that Darren Edmondson has the track record to deliver that.”
Departing boss Drury, meanwhile, said: “At a meeting with the board, it was mutually agreed that we would part company with the club. It was not an easy decision to make but we both feel it was the right thing to do for both the football club and ourselves.
“Although the league table doesn’t look as we’d like it to right now, the team still have games in hand over others and we feel certain that, with or without us, they will finish in a respectable position. We have put our hearts and souls into the club and wish them every success.”
