....new manager after Paul Davis left by mutual consent.

Davis and his backroom staff departed The TRICO Stadium following the home defeat to Coalville Town on Saturday.

The club have placed on record its thanks to Davis and his team for their commitment and have wished them well for the future.

Smith, who will confirm his backroom staff in due course, is familiar with the club following a stint as an assistant-manager during the 2009/10 season.

It was his time with the Reds that inspired him to become a manager.

His first role in management was with Alvechurch, the club where he made more than 250 appearances as a player.

 In two seasons, he and his side achieved consecutive top-six finishes.

He then moved to Studley, where, once again, he achieved top-six finishes – the club’s best finishing positions for fifteen years.

More recently, he was dubbed ‘the greatest manager’ in Bromsgrove Sporting’s history.

He joined The Rouslers in 2014 and led the club to a second-place finish in the Total Motion Midland League Division One.

Another runners-up place and two cup final appearances awaited Smith and his players the following season, before achieving the almost impossible by ending the next league campaign unbeaten and becoming champions.

That season, Sporting also reached the semi-final of the Builbase FA Vase before losing to eventual runners-up, Cleethorpes Town.

He departed the club in March 2018, with the team sitting top of the Midland League Premier Division with fifteen games to go.

He then joined Highgate United as joint-manager this summer, but he left the club earlier in September and has now agreed to take the managerial post at Redditch.

Smith told the club`s website: “I am delighted to be given the opportunity to manage a club as big as Redditch United. I want the football club and town to be united, with the supporters proud of their town and football club.

“There are solid foundations in-place behind the scenes for the club to push on. My next job needed to be a long-term project and, having spoken with the chairman at length, I believe we share the same ambitions – I cannot wait to get started.”

Redditch chairman Chris Swan said: “Paul Smith’s record as manager, especially with Bromsgrove Sporting, is terrific. He knows how to build a team, thanks to his passion, knowledge and professionalism, and all of those attributes are key ingredients as we look to emerge from what has been a difficult start to the season.

“It is a cliché, but we are in transition once more. I will work closely with Paul to ensure the club achieves its potential, but, immediately, all of us need to get down to work and work hard to move away from the relegation zone. I ask our fans to give Paul a warm welcome and, as always, give your full support because we need them more than ever.”

Smith’s first match in the dug-out will be the away trip to Stratford Town on Saturday.