Steve Duffy, who briefly ran the reserves last season, and former player John Morton have taken over as joint-managers of the first team as the squad return to pre-season training on Tuesday.

The announcement comes as the club this week received confirmation they will be promoted to the premier division of the Leicestershire Senior League following a re-organisation of the local leagues.

Amateurs finished bottom of the first division in 2007-08 but the quality of their facilities at their Rogues Park headquarters meant they were one of the teams to go up to replace eight teams which have moved into a newly-formed East Midlands Counties League.

Chairman Allan Westray is hopeful the club can compete in the top flight against some teams who will be semi-professional.

"Hopefully we can attract better players but we are not in a position where we can pay players," he said.

"Geographically it's difficult to compete with the Leicester teams because they have a hell of a catchment area.

"Our target is to stay in the division – anything above that will be a bonus.

"After Christmas last season we had a lot of young players in the side and there was a lot of improvement. We deserved to win a few more games than we did so things are looking up."

It was decided to look for a new manager when Lee Wood indicated he could not commit to the role due to his business commitments.

Barry Suggett took up the reins last season but this year he will revert back to his previous job as reserve team boss in Leicestershire Football Combination Division 2.

Duffy and Morton, who was latterly at Bourne Town and Asfordby Amateurs, are relatively untried at this level of management but Westray has high hopes for them.

He said: "Steve took over the reserves towards the end of last season and he made a good impression. One or two players said they would play for him.

"John is well known to the club and highly thought of and I am sure the pair of them will do well."

Training and coaching sessions, which will be every Tuesday and Thursday from 6.30pm, will be in the hands of Rob Lewin and Richard Giblin, who are both qualified coaches.

Baz Brown continues in his role as youth team manager after guiding his under 18 charges to a creditable third place in the Leicestershire Midweek Floodlit Youth League.

Anyone interested in joining the club's senior or junior teams are welcome to attend training sessions.

Steve Duffy has vowed he and fellow new joint-manager John Morton will restore the pride and passion in Cottesmore Amateurs.

The pair will exhibit differing management styles but they are both targeting the same goal – consolidating the club's place in the premier division of the Leicestershire Senior League.

Duffy admitted he had a volatile temperament in the mould of Sir Alex Ferguson.

He said: "I can give the old hair-dryer treatment like Fergie does.

"John will be the one to put his arm around a player's shoulders wheras I am in your face.

"I wear my heart on my sleeve."

Duffy is hoping some of the young talent at Cottesmore will blossom this season and he said the club would try to bring some more experienced players in as well.

He added: "It will be a challenge but we are looking forward to it. We will be working to get the pride and passion back into this club."