TWO of North Yorkshire's top football coaches are back in work - as a double act.

Jimmy Reid and Paul Marshall have been appointed in joint charge of Northern Counties East League premier division side Goole AFC.

The duo's first match in command will be this Saturday when Goole entertain Brigg Town in a derby duel, 'a real cracker' insisted a delighted Reid. The new management team has replaced former York City and Scarborough defender Steve Richards, who has since joined UniBond League toilers Ossett Town.

It's been 15 months since Reid's last appointment when he left NCEL premier division side Pickering Town. Marshall, his new ally, was controversially sacked as boss of another NCEL premier outfit, Harrogate Railway, at the end of last season during which he led them on a lucrative run to the second round of the FA Cup.

Quipped Reid: "We've both been out of football too long - and all the decorating has been done at home now, so it's time we got back.

"Seriously though, we are both thrilled to be back and we are excited about the challenge of getting Goole upward and onward."

Richards' departure has since seen several Goole players follow him to Ossett, so Reid stressed that the principal task for he and Marshall was to draft in several experienced players. "We've got a lot of very good young lads here, but we need some wiser heads to help them along," explained Reid.

Updated: 11:20 Tuesday, October 21, 2003