MATT Doughty has been placed in charge of team affairs at Altrincham for the rest of the season, with Robbie Lawton and Graham Heathcote continuing to assist him.

The news came shortly before a spirited 1-1 New Year's Day draw at FC United of Manchester and followed a meeting between Doughty, who was appointed interim manager after Jim Harvey's sacking a month ago, and chairman Grahame Rowley.

"Matt and Robbie came to see me to ask where they stood, because they need to plan for the next week, the next month or even beyond," said Rowley.

"We are in a perilous position, but if anyone is going to turn it round, they are."

Doughty welcomed the opportunity and explained why being assistant to Harvey should not count against him.

"For me, it's the right decision, not because I want the job but because the revolving door of managers coming in has to stop," he said.

"People look at this club from the outside and think it's a circus, and that can't happen.

"This is a proper football club, and I will make sure we are right on the pitch now.

"I have done the job for nearly a month, and it has taken over my life, but in a good way.

"My phone is always going, but that has helped bring in five players (Gary Jones, Kyle Brownhill, Nicky Clee, Elliot Newby and Andy Owens) and they were all magnificent on Sunday.

"I know I've been assistant to Jim when we've been losing games, but that is completely different to what is happening at the moment. The buck stops with me now.

"No disrespect to Jim, he brought me in, which I was grateful for, but it was his team.

"He wanted to instil things into his team, which was fine, but the fact is, I had little-to-zero input on matchdays.

"Robbie will have more input than I had under Jim, and the same applies to Graham.

"That's what you need to have – you need to trust people around you, and I trust Robbie and Graham."