Manager Simon Houghton has left Pontefract Collieries after three years in charge, the club has announced, and his successor is former Leeds United captain Brendan Ormsby.

Houghton took over the team before the start of the 2008-9 Season, with the club having just finished bottom of the League with only nine points and owing their continued status in the NCEL to a league restructuring which saved them from the loss of their status and relegation into the West Yorkshire League.

In his three full seasons in charge of the team, he improved the standing of the team, achieving a highly-creditable ninth place in his first season in charge, and building on this with a fifth place finish in 2009-10.

The current season started with great promise for Simon and his team, using an increased players budget wisely to enhance the squad that had just fallen short of promotion the previous season and guiding the club to the top of the league - a position that they held over the Christmas period and maintained into the opening days of 2011.

However, a poor run of results saw the team fall into sixth place by last weekend, with only two wins garnered from their last nine league fixtures.

The poor run ultimately led the club to make the difficult decision to part with the services of Houghton, together with his assistant, Darren Smith.

Colls Chairman Guy Nottingham paid tribute to Houghton and Smith, saying: "Simon took over the club when the team was struggling, and improved the results of the team throughout his term in charge.

"We are very grateful to Simon and Darren for their hard work, and for taking the team from where we were in 2008 to where we are today - one of the best teams in the NCEL First Division.

"Simon has proved himself to be a very capable manager, with an intimate knowledge of players and teams at this level."

The club have thanked them both for their efforts while in charge of the first team at the club, and wish them every success in their future careers in the game.

Meanwhile, the club have already started looking to the future by bringing in Ormsby to replace Houghton.

Ormsby, who captained Leeds United during the 1980s, is a highly-regarded figure within the game, having started his career with Aston Villa and featured for the club during their successful European Cup winning campaign of 1982.

Since retiring from the professional game, Ormsby has remained in football both as a player, manager and coach, enjoying a brief spell as manager of League of Ireland side Waterford Town before moving back to his adopted Yorkshire home and becoming involved in the coaching of youth players.

Recently, he has been working for Leeds United, running their local youth academy, and coaching at several age levels.

With Pontefract Collieries seeking to develop the club as the hub of local football and becoming the "University of Football" for talented players, coaches and managers in the area, Ormsby is seen as the perfect man to head up the club, with his commitment to developing talent, playing the game in the best tradition, and getting the best out of the players at his disposal.

Recognised as a great leader by players who played alongside him, his appointment is hailed as a major factor in the drive to take the club to new heights.

Pontefract Chairman Guy Nottingham explained: "We were keen to appoint a manager who would embody everything that the club is striving to become.

"We created a profile of 'The Ideal Manager' for our club, looking at all the attributes we would wish to see in our man in charge.

"Being honest, our club is a million miles away from where we want to be and we need a manager who is committed to driving the club towards our goals while remaining true to our vision of doing things the right way and being a beacon of everything that is good in the game.

"We could not have wished for a more perfect match than Brendan Ormsby.

"In fact, I believe that we will look back on this day in decades to come and say that the signing of Brendan Ormsby was the single most important appointment in the history of our football club."

Ormsby is equally excited: "I have skirted around several jobs over the last few years, and turned down a few opportunities.

"However, when Pontefract came calling, the chance was too good to miss. This is a potentially huge club, run by people with a clear vision to take it forward, and was an opportunity too good to miss. We can create something really special at this club."

Ormsby will travel with the team for the Wilkinson Sword Trophy Quarter Final tie at Staveley Miners Welfare on Tuesday and officially take charge of the side in time for the league game at Grimsby Borough seven days later.