Nathaniel Cars Welsh League champions Monmouth Town have promoted assistant manager Andrew Smith to lead their title defence. Smith, known around the club as Smudger, was player-manager from 2004 until 2008, leading the club to three Gwent County promotions and into the Welsh League but stepped down when the pressure of playing and managing got too much. He has since played in the divisional title winning sides of 2011 and 2012 before stepping up last season to assist Steve Jenkins. A former Welsh international at Under 18 level, local lad Smith also celebrated the birth of a baby son Harry the day before his appointment and was delighted to land the role. "Jenks will be a hard act to follow that's for sure but I've been around the club for 10 years now and know how much talent we still have at our disposal," he said. "Obviously we'll need to strengthen the squad but our aim must be to be in the mix again and try to win back-to-back titles. "It won't be easy but then it hasn't been anyway and we like a challenge." Chairman Lee Robson was also delighted with the appointment: "I've known Smudger for 10 years now and we've been on a bit of a journey together. He's a football and Monmouth Town obsessive just like me and whenever I've been worried over the years, he always answers with 'We'll be fine', so far so good." Smith retains Gareth Blackburn as his assistant and starts immediately with his first task to arrange competitive and exciting friendly fixtures before pre-season training starts in July.