Stuart Maynard was appointed City’s manager on August 28^th, 2025. His previous managerial post had been at Notts County where he’d been appointed in January 2024 in succession to the Swansea bound Luke Williams. He was sacked in May 2025 after a defeat in the League2 play offs.

That was his first full job in “professional” football. After a long playing career in the lower echelons of non league football around the south east, he was appointed as assistant manager at Hemel Hempstead Town when former teammate Dean Brennan was appointed as manager. The pair moved onto Billericay Town and then briefly to Kingstonian in February 2019, the pair resigned a month later after a breakdown in relationship with the board. 2 months later they re-appeared at National League South side Wealdstone, becoming champions in their first season.

When Brennan resigned in February 2021 to move to Barnet, Maynard stepped up and was appointed Wealdstone’s manager.

Many felt he and Wealdstone pushed above their weight, but even so, it was a surprise to many when Notts County appointed him. To then (Wealdstone included), Maynard had combined his part time footballing career with a job as BT engineer. At the time of his sacking Notts County's owners said, "While football is a game of fine margins, and Stuart undoubtedly faced numerous challenges over the course of the campaign, neither results nor performances reached the levels we believe the team was capable of - particularly during the defining period towards the end".

It could be argued that his managerial career mirrored that of Adam Hinshelwood, moving up the ranks of southern non league football before turning full time. More importantly, his long association with Dean Brennan, possibly didn’t hinder him when appointed City’s manager.

NewsDrift (USA newcast) analyses Maynard's appointment.

His style of play is usually 352, very occasionally 3421, some describe his teams as playing drab, slow and ponderous football. Others suggested that he was one dimensional.

Whatever, he has a hard act to follow.

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