Rothes last night appointed former Brora Rangers caretaker manager Steven MacDonald as successor to Fraser Bremner, who was sacked in December.
MacDonald’s former Dudgeon Park manager, Grant Munro, 36, who resigned as Brora manager at the beginning of December, is his new assistant player-manager at the Speysiders.
MacDonald, 41, the former Clach, Forres Mechanics and Elgin City centre half who left the Cattachs last month after Ross Tokely was appointed manager, and Munro have been given three-and-a-half year contracts.
Munro is a former Caley Thistle and Ross County central defender.
After meeting the Rothes players for the first time at training last night, MacDonald said: “I am very excited about this opportunity and about what we can achieve here.
“To be able to bring in someone of Grant’s experience is also great and I intend to play him. I have seen Rothes’ last couple of games and we need experience. The side is lacking a bit of know-how.”
Speysiders chairman Iain Paul was delighted to land his new manager and said: “We have been through quite a lengthy process and I was astonished at the number and quality of applicants for the job. That is very encouraging from the club’s point.
“We were able to whittle that list down but in the end there was one outstanding candidate whom we really felt could help us bring the club to the next level, and that was Steve MacDonald.
“He is very experienced in the Highland League through his long playing career and more recently in coaching at both Clach and Brora Rangers.
“We were very impressed with his vision and his plan and how he felt he could bring Rothes forward.”
The new Rothes management team’s debut will come on Saturday at a ground where both of them played with distinction, Clach’s Grant Street Park.