Whitehawk have appointed Horsham’s assistant manager Ross Standen as first team manager to replace Jude Macdonald with immediate effect. Standen made over 400 appearances as a goalkeeper for the Hawks and was assistant manager under Darren Freeman as the Hawks rose from the county league to National League South. Standen then worked with Freeman at Lewes.

The new management team is made up of former Hawks player Stuart Tuck and Tony Coade. Tuck, a former skipper of Brighton & Hove Albion, was previously assistant manager at Burgess Hill Town. Coade worked with Standen as a coach at both Peacehaven & Telscombe and Lewes.

Chairman Andy Schofield thanked Jude Macdonald for his work over the last two seasons – and before that his five years running the U18s. “Jude has worked hard to play a style of football that he strongly believed in and has overseen the development of young players like Lucas Rodrigues and Luke Emberson, who were our players of the season last year. The club stood by him when we were relegated from the Isthmian Premier League and we were in a decent position when last season ended early. Sadly, things have not gone to plan this year, which has been a surprise for everyone, and we felt it was time for a change.”