LEYTON Football Club have appointed Tony Ievoli as their new manager after Troy Townsend stepped down from the post.

Ievoli has been promoted to the number one spot after arriving at the club’s Lea Bridge Road ground midway through last season as Townsend’s assistant.

Townsend decided to take a step back from the action in order to play a more active role in the development of his son’s football career.

Andros Townsend is on the books at Tottenham Hotspur and is highly rated at White Hart Lane.

The 17-year-old left winger spent part of last season on loan at Yeovil, and with another stint at a lower league outfit expected this term, Townsend Snr has opted to spend the majority of his time as his son’s advisor. He was keen to stress, however, that he intends to remain involved with Leyton in some capacity.

“I brought Tony (Ievoli) on board knowing that the situation may develop,” said Townsend. “He likes to play in the right way and he always knew there was an opportunity there. He’s ready for that. I’m leaving the team in capable hands, but I will be there to help out.”

Ievoli helped turn Leyton’s fortunes around towards the back end of last year, forging a strong partnership with Townsend during a period that saw the team lose just four times in 18 games.

The supporting role he played then was unfamiliar territory for the former Waltham Forest boss, and he admits it is nice to be back at the head of the ship.

“I came in to help Troy make the best of what he had available to him,” said Ievoli. “You only have so much control as an assistant and it was different for me because I had only ever been the manager, so I had to adapt.

“But I can take more control of steering the ship now. I’ve got an idea of what I want to do. I want to try and make the club a more positive environment.”

Ievoli has brought in Redbridge’s youth team manager Gavin Cosson as his new assistant, and the pair will begin work immediately, with pre-season just around the corner and a squad to be assembled.

“I’ll see who comes back from the squad we had last season next week,” added Ievoli. “I wouldn’t be surprised if some players decided to go elsewhere, but I have had some contact with several players and I’m confident we will have a settled squad in time for the new season.

“We finished lower mid-table last season and we want to improve on that this time.”