Brown signs on for new season

Brown, who returned to Scraley Road in December 2015 to succeed Cliff Akurang, agreed to carry on after preserving the club's Ryman League status and reaching the final of the Essex Senior Cup.

Before agreeing to extend his stay following positive talks with the Swifts board, Brown, pictured on his return before Christmas, was previously in charge from December 2013 until June 2014 when he left to take the reins at Grays Athletic in the Ryman Premier.

Former Stanway Rovers and FC Clacton boss Steve Pitt, appointed to work alongside him as the club's new director of football, has stepped down and was thanked for his work by officials in a club statement.

Heybridge Swifts chairman Craig Riches said: “I’m pleased that Jody is very keen to build on the young squad that showed its qualities through a very tough 2015-16 season.

"Having achieved our main objective of staying in the league, we had the added bonus of reaching two cup finals, winning one and narrowly losing the other against much higher league opposition.

"That proved to me and the committee that the building blocks were taking shape for what we all at the club hope will be a far more fruitful campaign, not just for the first team but for the club as a whole.”

Brown said: "It was always my intention to try and build something at Heybridge Swifts, rather than work as hard as we did to overcome the obstacles of the past six months only to move on at the first sign of interest from higher in the pyramid.

"I've done that before. The important thing for me was that the club wanted to continue its evolution on and off the field, not overnight, but that we all shared the same long term views.

"We've proven to be an excellent environment for young players to develop and excel even whilst in a relegation battle, and that is something that is fundamental to my coaching philosophy.

"The way we finished the season, the obvious improvement in the culture and performances within the squad excited everyone, and that would be very hard to walk away from."

He added: "I'm certain that in the longer term we will make huge strides toward our objectives. If we get it right, all work together, and build on the experiences of the past six months, we could succeed in meeting our goals on and off the field sooner than expected."

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