Solihull Moors appoint Mark Yates as manager, assisted by Tim Flowers

Mark Yates (left) has a decade of experience in management, starting with Kidderminster Harriers, where Tim Flowers was previously number two

National League bottom club Solihull Moors have appointed ex-Kidderminster Harriers, Cheltenham and Crawley boss Mark Yates as their new manager.

Birmingham-born Yates, 47, will be assisted at the struggling National League club, by his fellow Midlander, Kenilworth-born Tim Flowers, 50.

Solihull have been under caretaker boss Gary Whild since Richard Money left on 31 October after 26 days in charge.

Six different men will have picked the Solihull team in just over 12 months.

The long-serving Marcus Bignot was manager when the Moors reached English football's fifth tier for the first time in April 2016.

Liam McDonald then took over when Marcus Bignot left for Grimsby in November 2016, before being replaced by Money.

Since Money's departure, another former Harriers boss Whild has had a fortnight at the helm, while first-team coach Keith Bertschin also had a game in charge both prior to McDonald's appointment.

Solihull have picked up just 11 points from 19 games this season - and are six points adrift of safety.

Tough start for Moors management

Yates and Flowers, who will meet the squad for the first time at training on Thursday, will start their reign at Damson Park with two successive away matches, at fifth-placed Maidstone on Saturday, then third-placed Wrexham.

"We need to get our ideas across to the players quickly," said Yates. "We need to give direction and importantly, hope.

"It is great to be back doing what I do best. Both Tim and I know that we need points to turn the season around."

Yates, who began his playing career with boyhood club Birmingham City, has enjoyed successful spells in management.

He took Kidderminster Harriers to the FA Trophy final in 2007, when they were beaten by Stevenage in the first game back at the new Wembley. He then twice took Cheltenham to the League Two plays-offs.

Former Wolves, Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Leicester City and England goalkeeper Flowers has had a variety of backroom roles, largely as goalkeeping coach, since retiring as a player in 2003.

He worked at Leicester and Manchester City, as assistant manager to Iain Dowie at both Coventry City and QPR, then with Northampton Town, Hull City, Nottingham Forest and Kidderminster Harriers. He also had nine games as manager of sixth-tier side Stafford Rangers in 2010.