Waddock, however, will have far-reaching influence on all first team, reserve and youth team matters, as well as all football-related budgets. Given his record in developing young talent at his previous Club, it is also telling that he will provide guidance to The Shots' junior section.
Initially named Caretaker-Manager at QPR in February 2006 while Ian Holloway was placed on 'gardening leave', he was given the full-time job in June after narrowly preserving Rangers' Championship status, but a poor start to 2006-07 season that left them bottom of the table saw him once again demoted to Assistant Manager under John Gregory.
Previously, Waddock had gained an impressive reputation as a coach for the Youth Academy and Reserve teams at the Club where he enjoyed the best years of his playing career as a hard-working, combative midfielder.
Having made his League debut at 17 - and only a year before he became the Republic of Ireland's youngest ever international - Waddock featured prominently in the Terry Venables-managed team, alongside both Ian Gillard and Peter Hucker, which took Tottenham Hotspur to an FA Cup Final replay in 1982 and won the old Second Division Championship by a clear ten points a year later.
After eight and a half seasons at Rangers, during which time they qualified for the UEFA Cup, medical reports suggested that a serious knee injury would prevent him from ever playing at the highest level again. Yet, typical of his tenacity, Waddock recovered to have a successful 18 months at Belgian club Royal Charleroi, where he made 40 appearances and was named Player Of The Year in a team also featuring future Newcastle defender Philippe Albert.
He quickly restored his status as a crowd favourite on his return to London in 1989, playing 58 games for a struggling Millwall side after a £130,000 move, but, despite regaining his place in Jack Charlton's Republic of Ireland squad, endured the agony of missing out on the 1990 World Cup at the very last minute.
He returned to his spiritual home in West London in 1991, but ended up being loaned out to Swindon, where he played the only six games of a miserable 12 months. From there he moved onto Bristol Rovers and finally Luton, suffering two relegations in four seasons, yet was once again named the Players' Player of the Year in his final year at Kenilworth Road.
Waddock's lack of non-League experience should be offset by his record of bringing young talent into the first team; a desire to play neat and progressive football; and the undoubted passion with which he played the game. The retention of Martin Kuhl at least provides a degree of insight into the rigours of the Conference and the playing staff which Waddock has inherited, but with such a wide-ranging brief, it is the new manager who must waste no time in imposing his authority on the entire Football Club.
Aldershot Town have also announced the Club's new sponsors, local property letting company EZYLET LTD, to replace EBB.
Source: www.shotsweb.co.uk