Welwyn Garden City have promoted within in their search for a new manager - appointing former Wingate & Finchley boss Marc Weatherstone as successor to Max Mitchell.

He had been assisting with coaching and training at the Urbaser Stadium for the past six weeks following his dismissal at Summers Lane in October.

He had been in that role for 15 months having served the club for 10 seasons as a player, making a record 457 appearances and spending five years as captain.

Appointed to his first managerial position in the summer of 2021, he led the Blues to a comfortable 14th position, ending a number of years at the foot of the table.

The Isthmian League Premier Division club struggled though in the early part of the season leading to his exit.

At the time Wingate chairman Aron Sharpe said: "He is a young man with a terrific future and this will simply be a learning curve as I expect for him to rebound and find himself a career as a football manager.

"Honestly he was thrown in at the deep end and we both knew it was sink or swim.

"Marc was up for it and for that I can only respect him.

"It’s a very tough results-driven industry and Wingate now have to start getting results immediately."

The defender, who also had two seasons with Enfield Town and two with Dulwich Hamlet, part of their promotion-winning squad that reached the National League South in 2018, took caretaker charge along with Mitchell's number two Tommy Wade as the Citizens recorded a 3-1 home win over Kempston Rovers in Southern League Division One Central. 

WGC chairman Ray Fiveash feels the new boss is a perfect fit for the club.

He said: "We are delighted to appoint Marc. He is ambitious and has a steely determination to succeed and he matches our ambitions and the progression we want to see at our club.

"He has greatly impressed while he has been helping with the coaching and training and has developed a great rapport with our players.

"He fits the bill of the manager we want, very well."

Weatherstone will be adding to his backroom staff in the coming days and has also said he will be bringing in three or new faces that will add to WGC's squad.