Survival is the name of the game for new boss (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Survival is the name of the game for new boss

DEVIZES TOWN: DEVIZES Town enter the new Nathan Sheridan era with survival as the goal for a club that has seen upheaval in the close season.

Sheridan and the Devizes Town board are realistic about the task involved after previous manager Mark Godley resigned at the end of last season.

He decided to leave the Nursteed Road club after chairman Phil Rossiter and the committee decided to implement performance-related pay for the coming season, which means the manager will only receive the full £300 weekly budget if the team win.

It had also been made clear by Rossiter that the club are looking to build a team with local players.

Sheridan, 30, started in the youth ranks of the club at the age of nine, and fitted the bill as a local manager. His task has been made even harder by an exodus of senior players.

Andy Coombes, Simon Price, Dave Macey, Brian Kayll, Nathan Perkins and Lee Beavis all left, although Sheridan and assistant Jamie Gale are signed as players.

Ashton Turner and Justin Lyle have returned to the club after university while goalkeeper Scott Windle (Forest Green Rovers), striker Danny Powell (Bromham) and Jack Cook (Millfield School) have all joined.

Sheridan is also looking for Ray King, Rob Hannah and Nathan Moffett to make the step up from the reserves.

Sheridan said: "I don't know if we are looking to win anything but what we are looking to do is maintain our position in this league. We know it will be difficult, because it was difficult last season, but we're hoping to stay in the division, maybe have a good cup run and hopefully that will generate some extra finances.

"Losing all that experience is not an ideal scenario. We probably have only five or six players in our squad with Western League experience with the rest of the team having Wiltshire County League experience.

"We also have the lads coming through from under 18s level so it will be tough but everyone has to start their Western League career at some point."

Sheridan believes youth will benefit the club in the long run.

"Towards the end of last season we went to Brislington who had been going through some financial difficulties. They had a team whose average age must have been around 19 and we went there and got beat.

"Our average age will be around the late 20s and that will work for us later on in the season.

"When the pitches are wet and muddy and we are playing against older players, they will be less mobile and our players will have more energy which is important."