FORMER Newport County AFC manager Dean Holdsworth has landed a new job as director of football at Brentwood Town in the Ryman Premier League.

The 46-year-old, who guided the Exiles to the Conference South title back in 2010, has been concentrating on media work and his role as managing director of the Non League Footballers Association since leaving Chelmsford City in 2013.

And, despite the director of football title, Holdsworth says he will act as manager for the Essex club as they aim for promotion to the Conference South.

“It [my role] will be running the team, with a first-team coach, and recruitment of players and then also adding some value to the commercial interests of the football club,” he told the Brentwood Gazette.

“I'm very hands-on because I love being involved in football, that's my first love, and the other side of it, the business side is there, but football is what I'm passionate about and really enjoy it.

“Non-league is part-time; I will go over and above that to help the club so I will try to do everything I can while also doing the Non-League Footballers Association, which I'm very passionate about.

“There are commercial partnerships that I will help to bring into the club, to help sustain it in the Ryman Premier and also improve it.

“I think generally non-league football clubs always need a little bit of help, along with all the fantastic work volunteers do."

“I've missed being involved,” added Holdsworth, who left the Exiles for Aldershot Town in January 2011.

"I've been looking at a number of games over the last year or so and wasn't ready, because of business opportunities and the various things that I do.

"I wasn't ready to walk back into football but, geographically and timing wise, this is something I'm excited about.

“I can't walk away from my businesses because I've worked so hard to make them successful and this really fits with I wanted to do right now.

"Our challenge is to prove to people who are tipping the club for relegation to maybe hold their hands up at the end of the season and say they were wrong. That's going to take hard work and we're getting ready for that and making sure we're not in that spot come the end of the season.

"We'll try to improve things. Players will leave and players will come in and I will work on the commercial side of things to improve the budget to make the team better."