Nacho Novo appointed assistant coach of Lexington SC as Rangers legend makes US return

Former Rangers striker Nacho Novo has embarked on a coaching career after landing his first role as assistant manager at Lexington Sporting Club in the United Soccer League.

The Ibrox fan favourite, who starred for the club during a six-year spell between 2004 and 2010, is heading to the newly-launched Kentucky-based side as they prepare to join the USL League One this season - equivalent to third tier in the USA.

Novo previously spent time in America during a near two-year stint at Carolina Railhawks towards the end of his playing career and was later overlooked for a coaching role at Rangers in 2017. The Spaniard will be reunited with Lexington’s Sporting Director and Head Coach Sam Stockley, who he played alongside during his spell in the States.

He briefly ventured into the pub trade, running NN10 and Nacho’s Bar close to Ibrox Stadium but has now returned to America and will also serve as head coach of the club’s Under-23s team.

Commenting on his new role, Novo said: “I have been fortunate to play at a high level, and since I started as a youngster in my hometown, I’ve been able to learn from many different managers. I want to take that experience and help all the players at Lexington.

“This is a new club, but it’s a new club that is like family, and I really enjoy being there with everybody on the staff. Not many times you have the chance to build something from scratch, so for me, it was an opportunity I could not turn down. Everybody here, including the ownership, is very serious about what they want to do, making this a proper soccer team that connects well with the community and does well.”

English boss Stockley added: “Obviously, Nacho’s experience in different cultures and high performance environments is something that I believe will be a huge resource for our players on the first team. Along with being an assistant overall, he will do wonders with our forwards, attacking midfielders and wingers.

“As someone I’ve known for more than 10 years now, he’s a loving, caring person that buys into the culture. He knows what it takes to succeed as a player and will also bring a lot of life skills and knowledge to the table.”