Norton has recruited former joint reserve team manager Todd Foster to help him in the short-term and is actively looking to add further to his temporary management team as he plans to oversee an upturn in Gresley's fortunes on the pitch.

Gresley have won just once in the last 9 games and have only 3 league wins all season leaving them perilously close to the Midland League relegation positions with just 15 points from 25 games.

The poor run of results saw the club part company with manager Dave McDermott through mutual consent last week and Norton was once more asked by the clubs Board to step in to manage the club he's now been at for 22 years.

On the news he will be in the Moat Ground hot-seat until the end of the season Norton told https://www.gresleyfc.com: "I was initially asked to take over the running of the team until the club had decided on which direction it wanted to go. The chairman asked me if I would consider doing the job until the end of the season and we can then take stock of things. Having thought about it a little I'm more than happy to commit to that arrangement and it hopefully gives the lads who have stayed with the club a little bit of continuity as I'd been supporting Dave in the dressing room and on the bench for a few games recently and got to know the lads in the squad.

“I'm looking at a number of options to bring someone in to assist Todd and I as part of the management team, but they must have the right skills we need from a coaching/training and player contacts perspective. I need someone I can trust and rely on heavily to give us the best shot as possible of getting what we can out of our remaining games. I thought I had the perfect man until late last Thursday night when he decided at the last minute to remain at his current Step 3 club as assistant manager, so the search continues.

"I've got a couple of irons in the fire so to speak but won't rush into bringing someone in for the sake of it as it needs to be right."

Meanwhile, Norton announced some new additions to the squad.

The popular Cameron Steele returns to the Moat from Midland League Division One neighbours Stapenhill, whilst Regan Upton has also completed the switch to join the club from another Midland League Division One outfit, Atherstone Town.

Steele is an attacking wing-back who has also been with Halesowen Town as well as Gresley.

He impressed the management team at BetVictor Northern Premier Division One South East club Belper Town each time he played against them and in other games that he was being watched.

Despite being in a difficult season at Gresley, his ability shone through and the Nailers were delighted to get him on board in the summer of 2019.

However, he moved on to Stapenhill in October 2019.

Twenty-three-year-old Upton started his career with Burton Albion before being released by the Brewers and joining Wolverhampton Wanderers as an under-18 in September 2012.

He became a regular for the Molineux outfit's under-23 side in Premier League 2 before being released and joining Tamworth in the summer of 2017.

Injury curtailed his time with the Lambs and he signed for the Adders in December but left following the departure of Scott Rickards as manager recently.

In other news the club have extended the loan of Tyreece Robinson from Mickleover Sports after his original loan spell expired after last Saturday's game

The club can confirm that winger Michael Nelson and midfielder Kyle Batchelor have left the club alongside former assistant manager Jordan Fitzpatrick.