Ian Kerr is to be the new Director of Football at Scarborough FC following the departure of Neil Thompson last week.

Kerr, 47, is currently youth team coach at the McCain Stadium and takes over at a crucial time for the club, placed as they are in a relegation spot in the Conference.

"The only way for us to go is onwards and upwards" said the quietly spoken Scot, who has made a big impression with his youth teams since he took over that role four years ago. Before that he was the club's Football in the Community officer, a post he had held since 1991.

The move is a gamble for the Seasiders, as Kerr will be taking on his first role in management, with confidence among the players low and with an urgent need to strengthen the squad.

"That is a priority, but will take some time," he said. "The first thing I want the team to do is to play to a particular structure, playing attractive football and getting the results on the board that we require to take us up the table."

Ray McHale, who took charge of the team on Saturday, will take over from Kerr as director of youth, with no assistant manager being appointed.

The moves were announced by the new general manager Keith Agar, who left the club when Brooks Mileson handed over control to Darrell Littlewood last April.

"I am here in a consultancy capacity for a period which may be anything from two months to two years.

"It is no secret that Brooks Mileson and myself have been trying to take over at Carlisle, but until that happens, I shall be taking a lot of the weight off Darrell's shoulders in very much a hands on capacity," said Agar.

The position of the present chief executive, Ian Davison is in doubt with Littlewood saying "his role will be changing and I shall be speaking to him later today".

Updated: 11:49 Tuesday, September 25, 2001