Stoke City have appointed Chris Kamara as their new manager.

Kamara, one of two black managers in the football league, replaces Chic Bates, who is expected to return to City's backroom staff.

Kamara, a former Stoke City player, was fired by first division Bradford City after a string of poor results.

The dismissal prompted a row between Bradford chairman, Geoffrey Richmond, and the football pundit David Mellor.

Mr Mellor asked on his BBC Radio Five Live programme whether race had played a part in the dismissal .

Mr Richmond wrote to all Premiership and League clubs asking for support in removing the former Conservative MP from his post as head of the Government's Football Task Force.

The chairman claimed he had more than 50 clubs backing him but Mr Mellor said he was "profoundly suspicious" of the assertion.

Stoke City's chief executive Jez Moxey confirmed that Bates is to step down as manager.

Bates had been considering his position following Stoke's 7-0 thrashing by Birmingham City two weeks ago.

The announcement comes a week after Peter Coates resigned as club chairman.
 

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