Waltham Abbey have appointed former Arsenal and Celtic attacker Martin Hayes as the club’s new manager for the 2015/16 campaign.

The 49-year-old from Walthamstow succeeds Paul Wickenden after he left the Abbotts by mutual consent last week.

Hayes, who has previously managed Dover Athletic, Wingate & Finchley and Bishop’s Stortford, made his name as a player with Arsenal, making 137 appearances between 1983 and 1990 and scoring 34 times.

A £650,000 move north of the border to Scottish giants Celtic was followed by a nomadic existence which saw him bounce between 11 clubs until retirement in 2001.

Hayes began his managerial career with Bishop’s Stortford in 1999, whilst still playing, before leaving in November 2008 after nearly a decade at the helm.

After just over a year with Wingate & Finchley he was handed the reins at Dover and guided the club to the third round of the FA Cup – at the time their best ever run – where they were beaten by Huddersfield Town.