Former Ipswich Town player and coach Mark Kennedy has been named manager of Lincoln City.

The 45-year-old replaces Michael Appleton in the Sincil Bank hot-seat, the Imps having just finished 17th in the League One table, and has signed a four-year deal.

Ex-Manchester United player and coach Michael Carrick, Shamrock Rovers boss Stephen Bradley and England U19s manager Ian Foster had all been heavily linked to the vacancy.

Lincoln chairman Clive Nates said: "Over the course of many hours of interviews, we have been hugely impressed by Mark’s knowledge, energy, drive and passion. We know that he is a highly respected coach and, in the interview process, he impressed us with his desire to improve and develop players while creating an aggressive, attacking style of play that we believe will be successful in League One and excite our fans.

"We believe that Mark can flourish within our structure and help to create the culture and environment to maximise the potential of our squad.”

After finishing his playing career at Portman Road (33 appearances between 2010 and 2012), ex Republic of Ireland international Kennedy managed Town's U21s until 2016. During that period he worked alongside Roy Keane, Paul Jewell and Mick McCarthy.

Kennedy went on to have academy coaching roles at Manchester City and Wolves before becoming manager of Macclesfield Town for just 12 games at the end of the Covid curtailed 2019/20 season. He rejected the offer of a new contract after the club was relegated to the National League on a points-per-game basis.

In December 2020, Kennedy returned to Ipswich to shadow Bryan Klug (head of coaching and player development) in order to gain more experience. A few months later he was approached by his former Town team-mate Lee Bowyer to become assistant manager at Birmingham City. Now, after the Midlands side's 20th place finish in the Championship, Kennedy is back in management.

He becomes the second former Ipswich academy coach to take charge of a League One club in the last year, Liam Manning having been appointed MK Dons boss last August.