Musgrove (pictured) has been assistant manager to former boss Rick Andrews, who resigned recently after seven years in charge.

After arriving at Greens Meadow as a player during the First Division title-winning season in 2016/17, Musgrove then replaced Shane Coldron as Andrews’ number two in the summer of 2017.

Andrews and Musgrove have helped mastermind a club record run in the Buildbase FA Vase last season, as well as a Thurlow Nunn League unbeaten record, which extended to 39 games last month.

Musgrove told https://stowmarkettownfc.co.uk: “I’ve got a mixture of emotions really.

“Me and Rick have become like family in the last three-and-a-half years. We speak to each other two or three times a day.

“Rick has done lots for me and helped develop me, as he has done for a lot of other people.

“I’m proud to be manager of Stow and hopefully we can go on and achieve what he would have wanted and get the club promoted.

“We’re just hoping we can get going again on the 5th December for the Vase game and carry on what we started.”

Chairman Neil Sharp said: “Rick has not just been our manager but has also become a very good friend. Over the years he has been here he has been instrumental in bringing the good times back to Stowmarket Town FC.

“I’m sure Stow fans will, like me, look forward to welcoming Rick back to the club as a most welcome visitor on matchdays. The door will always be open for a return in some capacity in the future too.

“The job is still not complete but, to ensure we continue on our path, we have asked assistant manager Paul Musgrove to take over as the new first-team manager. We are pleased to announce he has accepted the position.”

The club also confirmed that Dale Brooks will be assistant to Musgrove.

Brooks joined the club in the summer of 2019 in the role of technical director of football and was part of a successful management team which guided Stow to an unbeaten Premier Division campaign before the 2019-20 season was cut short.

And the Stow management team will have a familiar look to it, with Musgrove joined by Brooks, along with Danny Potter (goalkeeping coach) and Doug French (kit man), who both continue their respective roles.

Musgrove added: “I’ve known Dale for a lot of years,” Musgrove said. “He was one of my coaches when I was at Ipswich and he’s had a colourful career, managing and coaching at Cambridge, Falkirk, Norwich, Southend and other places.

“He’s been at the club for over a year now and we get on really well. His experience will be very useful, and I’m happy to keep Pottsy and Dougy in the team too.”

On his new role as assistant manager, Brooks said: “I’m looking forward to it. My job is to help and support Muzzy in his new role as manager.

“I’ll give him all my support, just like I gave to Rick, and hopefully Muzzy will be able to benefit from that. It’s important that Muzzy has his own identity as manager, which I’m sure he will, and we can’t wait to get going.

“I would just like to thank Rick as well. I spoke to him and Muzzy last year in the summer and they told me their great ideas and ambitions for the club. Rick is a great bloke, and I would like to wish him and his family all the best for the future”.

Alex Moss