NEW Concord Rangers assistant manager Jody Brown believes he is joining the club at the right time, having turned down the post in the past.

Brown, 36, will also be new manager Adam Flanagan’s first-team coach after he was appointed on Thursday, having been out of the game since March when he was sacked by Conference National side Welling.

And the former Grays Athletic manager has revealed he was offered the post of Danny Cowley’s number two midway through the 2012/13 season, when Brown was at Maldon & Tiptree.

But Brown is now ready to give his all at Concord, as they attempt to emulate the raft of success they enjoyed under Cowley who left this summer to join Conference side Braintree.

“I was offered the job midway through the 2012/13 season but I was at Maldon & Tiptree at the time (assistant manager) and we were about 10 points clear at the top of the league,” Brown said. “I couldn’t leave then. It wasn’t a case of not wanting to join Concord but that would have been incredibly ruthless of me.”

Maldon ended the season missing out on promotion from the Ryman One North in the play-offs, while Concord were promoted to the former Conference South.

And he said, this time, he knew the offer was the right one.

“Adam phoned me and asked if I was interested in meeting with him so I did. And then Antony (Smith) followed that up and I was really impressed with what they both had to say. They both felt I could play an important role in continuing what has been a remarkable period for them.

“They are coming off the back of their best ever season and I have watched from afar the progress they have made and I want to be a part of it.

“I have come on leaps and bounds since then and I have a lot to offer. It was hard what happened at Welling but I feel I am a better person because of it.”

Brown was sacked after only eight games at the Conference National side, having left his full-time job and manager’s post at Grays to try his hand in the top tier of non-league football.

But he was more than happy to take up an assistant and coaching role at the Beach Boys, and says he is looking forward to playing a more first-hand role.

Brown said he and Flanagan had only crossed paths once before, when his Grays side played Flanagan’s former employers Brentwood Town in a pre-season friendly.

“It will be nice to lend my full attention to the training side of things,” said the UEFA qualified coach. “I bring experience and, even though I am relatively young, I feel I can help Adam push Concord on, albeit replicating what Danny (Cowley) did with this time will be very difficult.

“I am an Essex person and this job is a good fit for me.”