Liam Joyce leaves AFC Sudbury coaching staff to join Angelo Harrop at Braintree Town

AFC Sudbury will start pre-season training tomorrow distinctly light on senior coaches following the departure of Liam Joyce.

The club’s first-team coach, who joined ahead of last season, has decided to follow former Yellows joint manager Angelo Harrop over to higher-league Braintree Town.

The latter was not replaced despite now sole manager Rick Andrews, who misses the start of pre-season through a holiday, making a failed bid to reunite him with Stowmarket Town boss Paul Musgrove.

Dale Brooks, who was subsequently promoted from head coach to assistant manager, will oversee training along with goalkeeper coach Danny Potter.

The former had been Musgrove’s initial assistant but following the Covid interrupted campaigns ended up going up to Scotland where he finished the 2020/21 campaign as assistant manager at Falkirk.

The UEFA A Licence holder subsequently returned to his home in the Thetford area and was appointed as Sudbury’s head coach in early February.

Joyce, who set up mental health charity I Hear You to help footballers access support after his own battles, took to Twitter to reveal the news and said: "Just want to say a massive thank you to everyone @AFCSudbury it’s been a pleasure to have been at this fantastic club.

"The players all the staff all the people behind the scenes thank you for a wonderful season and being very welcoming towards me. Thank you very much."

The club’s first pre-season friendly comes a week tomorrow, at home to Harlow Town (3pm).

Harrop and Joyce will then be in the visiting dugout when Vanarama National League South outfit Braintree rock up for the next friendly of six at The MEL Group Stadium on Thursday, July 14 (7.45pm).