HEREFORD United's board of directors have confirmed their management team in place until the end of the season.

Jamie Pitman, pictured right, who has been caretaker boss since the departure of Simon Davey in early October, has now been given the job on a permanent basis.

He will continue to have Russell Hoult, previously the club's goalkeeper coach, as his assistant.

And the pair will have the vast experience of the club's new techical director, Lennie Lawrence, to draw upon.

The arrival of 63-year-old Lawrence had been under consideration for some time.

"We spoke to Lennie a couple of months ago but we wanted to see what happened with Jamie Pitman before he came in," revealed club vice-chairman Tim Russon.

"At the moment, we think it would be wrong to have the upheaval of an entirely new management team coming in.

"Lennie is a good, safe pair of hands and can give Jamie a bit more help and guidance.

"He knows his way around and can wheel and deal with getting players in and out as well as help to harden up the team so that they can start turning some of the draws into wins.”

Russon said that Pitman was very happy with the move, a fact confirmed by the United manager himself.

“I’ve enjoyed my first two months as caretaker and appreciate the chance I’ve now been given but we’ve a real challenge ahead and to have somebody like Lennie onboard is fantastic,” said Pitman.

Club chairman David Keyte confirmed Russon's comments.

“We spoke to Lennie some weeks ago and it’s been our plan all along to bring an experienced man in to help Jamie once we knew he could handle being manager," he said.

“There’s been a massive improvement in performances and the spirit in the club is great so it would be wrong at this stage in the season to make too many drastic changes,” added Keyte.