O`Leary and Cousins will be the Scholars new joint-management team.

Chairman Peter Waller said he was pleased and delighted with the appointment and looked forward to maintaining the continued progression the club have enjoyed over a period of time.

O`Leary has been the skipper of the Scholars’ for the past year and was instrumental in the promotion campaign last season.

His former clubs as a player include Hendon and Kingstonian.

This will be his first venture into management, but he will also continue as a player.

Alongside him is former Hendon team-mate Scott Cousins, who enjoyed a spell as first-team coach at Hendon under Gary McCann and was also a former player at St Albans City and an England Futsal international.

Director of football Steve Ringrose also welcomed the appointment, praising the job the pair had done with the team after taking over as caretakers recently.