FORMER Arsenal star Martin Hayes has been appointed Dover Athletic’s new manager – and last night signed a one-year contract.
Hayes, 44, who made 15 first-team Conference appearances for the Whites in 1995, spent seven years at Highbury, winning a League Cup and a title winners’ medal.
He netted 34 goals in 132 matches for the Gunners, and was even their top scorer with 24 in 1986-87, before his £650,000 move to Celtic in 1990. A difficult three years in Scotland was followed by spells at Coventry, Wimbledon and Swansea.
More recently he spent a club-record 10 years in charge at Bishops Stortford – initially as player-manager – and guided them to the Blue Square South play-offs in 2007 and an FA Trophy run to the semi-finals in 2005.
He also had a very brief spell in charge of Wingate and Finchley.
Dover chairman Jim Parmenter said: “Martin was on my final shortlist of two for the job in the first place. He interviewed very well and, in hindsight, I wish we had appointed him instead.
“But thankfully Martin was still available after Ian Hendon dropped his bombshell news and we’ve been able to agree terms.
“It was actually an easy decision for us to make in the end as we had already spoken to Martin before and were very impressed by him.”
Hayes said: "I'm looking forward to starting work and getting the club back into the Conference."
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