Ray Mathias takes over as Stockport County manager

Ray Mathias will manage Stockport County, the Football League's bottom club, until the end of this season.

With Stockport four points from safety, Mathias was offered the job after caretaker boss Peter Ward was asked to step down at a board meeting on Monday.

However, Ward and Alan Lord will assist former Wigan and Tranmere boss Mathias in his attempt to stop Stockport dropping into non-League football.

Mathias was appointed as a technical advisor to Ward earlier this year.

Ward was appointed caretaker manager in January following the sacking of Paul Simpson, and said after Saturday's win over Oxford that he wanted his future resolved.

"The board of Stockport County are working tirelessly to ensure the future of our football club, alongside other shareholders," said the club in a statement.

Ward had been in caretaker charge since former manager Paul Simpson was sacked in January.

Stockport have been in freefall in the last two years, spending the entire 2009/10 season in administration as they finished 18 points adrift at the bottom of League One, and are battling to avoid a second successive relegation.

Meanwhile, Southend striker Matt Paterson has extended his loan spell at Edgeley Park until the end of the season.

The 21-year-old Scot scored has two goals in six starts since joining the League Two strugglers last month.