Sheppey United have brought back a familiar face to assist manager Jack Midson.

Jono Richardson was no.2 to Ernie Batten at Sheppey before leaving the club in July 2020. He joined Ashford United as he looked to concentrate on his playing career and was most recently at Faversham but is now back at Holm Park.

Versatile defender Richardson has re-joined Sheppey as player-assistant manager and will provide valuable experience of playing in the Isthmian League.

Following his return, he said: "I watched from afar and saw all the success that had gone on, I had such a happy time at Sheppey a few years ago, really embraced the opportunity to come in as a player and assistant manager and believed that was laying the foundations of the successes that the club has had over the last couple of years. I am absolutely delighted to be back."

Speaking to the club, he added: "The learning journey never ends whether that is as a player or assistant manager and I am looking forward to the opportunity of working with Jack. I'm confident that our vision and values align."

Richardson was assistant to Batten during his first stint in the dugout, joining the club in May 2019. The 2019/20 season was curtailed due to the Covid pandemic, Sheppey sitting fourth, five points off top spot.

“I wouldn’t want to regret stopping playing too early,” he said at the time of leaving Sheppey, then aged 31.

Since his departure Sheppey won the Southern Counties East Premier Division title under Batten, who has now moved into the director of football role after Midson took over as player-manager in the summer.

He played for Ashford United after leaving Sheppey and signed for Faversham a year ago. In recent months he's been concentrating on completing his Masters qualification in education and has just taken on a role as senior vice principle at a secondary school in Ashford.

Richardson joins a Sheppey side sitting third from bottom in the Isthmian League South East, losing their last two in the league and suffering a Velocity Cup exit to Chatham Town in their last outing.

The Ites play away at Hythe Town on Tuesday night.