By Ben Kunicki BBC Sport Online

Famously Ian Botham played for Scunthorpe United and Yeovil Town, whilst Graham Gooch and Graham Thorpe were both talented schoolboy players.

Very few however, can say that they have played cricket and managed a football club, albeit a non-league side.

Publicity coup

However, when Fleet Town's Steve Beeks resigned at the end of September, the Hampshire club of the Dr Martens Eastern league pulled off something of a coup.

In Beeks' stead they appointed Hampshire's wicketkeeper Adi Aymes alongside former Southampton and QPR wild man Mark Dennis.

An unlikely combination on the face of it, but close ties exist between the footballers and cricketers of the county and the pair became friends some years ago.

"The chairman of the club (Martin Griffiths) was also the chairman of my benefit year committee and he told me there could be an opportunity coming up when I saw him at the cricket," Aymes explains.

Adrian Aymes career

First-class matches: 215 Runs: 7,338 Catches: 516 Stumpings: 44

"The manager was set to resign and the chairman wanted to turn a negative into a positive by getting me and Mark on board."

Aymes of course, is not as inexperienced as one might think, having played non-league football in the southern counties for a number of years.

"I've played at this level before, right up to playing for Bristol Rovers reserves in the Football Combination league," he says

"I was assistant manager at Lymington Town in the Southern League at the age of 24 before I really into the cricket, so I've got the experience"

Now 38, Aymes felt it necessary to give his young team a reminder of his footballing prowess.

Tricks

"As soon as I went down there I did a few tricks to show them I know what I'm doing but sport is sport and if you played in any profession you can apply that as well," he says.

The pair are joint managers and share responsibility equally although due to prior commitments have been unable to spend as much time with the team in recent weeks.

"We both take training including fitness and tactics and both of us say our piece to the players before the matches.

"Mark has never managed a side before so it's a new experience for him but obviously he's got a lot to offer."

Dennis met Aymes whilst playing for Southampton

Dennis' reputation as one of the more fiery characters in football goes before him. During his career he was sent off no fewer than 12 times.

However, Aymes believes that at the age of 42, Dennis has matured enough to command the respect of the players.

"People forget how young he was and I think he was quite easily led but he's mellowed quite a lot now."

Despite his move into football management Aymes is currently shying away from full-time cricket coaching.

"I coached one young lad all the way up to the Lord's groundstaff which was a big thrill bt since then I've stopped the coaching as I don't really think I can better that," he explains.

As for the future Aymes is keen to continue with Fleet for the time being but he remains open-minded about his retirement.

"I would go into any position sporting or otherwise where I think I can give my all but I wouldn't say anything further than that," he concluded.