Former Ipswich Town midfielder Cole Skuse has been named the new boss of Suffolk non-league side Bury Town.
The 37-year-old - who made 278 appearances for the Blues between 2013 and 2021 - has just been released by League Two club Colchester United.
He'll now be taking his first steps into management at Ram Meadow, the West Suffolk outfit having recently finished 11th in the Isthmian League North table.
It's understood that, as it stands, Skuse plans to focus entirely on management and not continue playing.
Skuse said: "I am really looking to forward to joining Bury Town and meeting the players and staff.
"Having left Colchester United at the end of my contract I am now ready to start my first job in management and excited to get started. The planning for the new season starts now and I will be speaking to all the current players in the coming weeks and we will also be sitting down to identify new targets.
"I look forward to meeting all the supporters at the pre-season friendlies."
Bury Town chairman Russell Ward said "After a long process we are delighted that Cole has accepted our offer to become our new manager.
"This will be Cole's first managerial appointment and I know that he is keen to get started and we look forward to working with him. There is a lot of potential here and the board feel that appointing someone with the professional experience that Cole has will benefit the whole club."
Bury director Alan Lee, the former Ipswich striker, added "This has been a long appointment process but I am very pleased with the outcome. I know Cole is excited to get started in management and in my view this is a great place for him to start.
"I know our supporters will be excited ahead of the new season. From our initial discussions I knew that he was the right fit for the job here and we are ready to support him fully to help achieve success for the club in the coming years."
He will become only the third permanent manager the club has appointed this century.
Richard Wilkins was in charge from 2000 to 2014. His replacement, Ben Chenery, then had a nine-year stint before leaving by mutual consent in March.
Alex Rossis was in caretaker charge during the latter stages of the season just gone as chairman Russell Ward undertook a thorough recruitment process.
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