CARL Heeley and Matt Gardiner will become the joint managers of Worcester City for next season.

The pair will take on equal responsibility for the team for the 2015-16 campaign having worked together for four years as manager and assistant.

Heeley has been in charge since taking over from Richard Dryden in January 2010 on a caretaker basis before eventually being given the job permanently, with Gardiner joining as his City deputy in May 2011.

The move to promote Gardiner, who is working towards his UEFA ‘A’ coaching licence, will allow him to share the workload and give the former Hereford United and Torquay United defender chance to develop his managerial skills.

Former City player John Snape will also stay on as part of the coaching team, a role he took up in July 2013.

Heeley said: “From a personal point of view, my business commitments are steadily increasing but after the cup run and everything that has gone on this season I just feel we are formalising something that’s developing any way.

“I think it will strengthen the management team.

“It’s something we have been discussing for a number of weeks. I suggested it to Matt and he was delighted with that and jumped at the opportunity.

“We see it as a really positive step for the club.

“At times you could do with being full-time, it’s very time consuming and this will allow us to split the workload evenly and we will both have key roles within the management set-up.

“We both throw names into the pot for potential recruitment and we both have an input, along with John, for team selection.

“Matt’s strength’s lie in lining up the coaching operation and mine lies with the financial side and budgets. It’s a really good partnership. We see our future at Worcester City.”

Vice-chairman Colin Layland said: “It has been a very good partnership so this way we know it’s not going to break up and we have got a good team going forward.”

The Blue and Whites brought the curtain down on a memorable season, in which they finished ninth in Vanarama Conference North, with a 5-3 defeat to Colwyn Bay at Aggborough.

Meanwhile, following on from captain Ellis Deeney’s coronation as player of the season, 17-goal top-scorer Sean Geddes was named as manager's player of the season.

The former Manchester United youth-teamer also scooped the best goal prize for his remarkable rabona in the 3-0 FA Trophy victory over Barrow in November.

Elsewhere, Rhys Goode was named supporter of the year, while the clubman of the year award went to Marcus Sparrow and Mark Newell for their efforts in putting together the plans for the supporters’ trust’s Perdiswell stadium application.