Russell began his management career at Erith Town where he won the Kent Senior Trophy before moving on and winning successive promotions with VCD Athletic, taking the club into Step 3 for the first time.

Appointed as manager of Cray Wanderers in 2015, his team won the Isthmian South East in 2018/19, were second place in the null and voided 2019/20 Isthmian Premier season and just outside the play-offs in the curtailed 2020/21 season.

Russell (pictured) will be joined on the touchline by former Lewes player, Joe Vines, who will be his assistant manager.

Lewes chairman Stuart Fuller told https://www.lewesfc.com: “Tony is an outstanding manager, with one of the best track records at our level over the last few seasons. There won’t be many who haven’t admired the way Cray Wanderers have played in that period and we look forward to Tony and Joe bringing their style of football to the Dripping Pan.  Our ambition is to be playing Step 2 and we believe Tony and Joe will build the platform to get us there.”

Director and co-head of men’s football, John Peel, added: “Tony and Joe have an incredibly impressive record at this level of the game and every one of the teams they have coached have played attractive, winning football. We have held lengthy discussions with the two of them during the recruitment process and I’ve personally been enormously impressed by their knowledge, insight and energy as well as their ethos and values”.