New Manager Installed - 29th June
Player power has been stamped out at Uhlsport Hellenic League club Malmesbury Vics - even if it costs new boss Ken Turner a lot of extra petrol money.
According to the Swindon Advertiser, Turner has been installed at the Flying Monk after leaving Swindon Supermarine’s defunct reserve team and takes over at a club relegated from the Hellenic Premier after a season of managerial turmoil and player unrest.
A large percentage of the squad remain Swindon-based but those players’ calls to train in their home town, rather than make the commute to Malmesbury, have fallen on deaf ears, even though it means a longer trek for Turner too.
He said: “I live in Swindon myself but the club is in Malmesbury, we play in Malmesbury so we will train in Malmesbury. All the facilities are here so there are no excuses.”
Turner spent a decade and a half at Pewsey Vale before stints with Wootton Bassett’s reserves and Marine’s second string, and he will bring Tony Webb from Hunts Copse as his assistant, with several of his former players also expected to follow him to the Flying Monk.
Turner has retained the likes of goalkeeper Luke Alford and talisman Kevin Coles, while Alan Webb has also agreed to return to the club as the manager bids to plot his way out of Division One West at the first attempt.
Turner said: “We’ve managed to keep hold of half the squad from last year and we’ve also got a few of the lads that left during the season coming back too. There are a few other players I’m looking to sign who I don’t want to name at this stage so we’ve got the base of a good Premier Division team. Really we’re looking to come straight back up next season and we can do it quite easily with this squad. Some people at the club weren’t happy about getting relegated but for me I actually think it might do the club some good to regenerate and it’s a chance to rebuild and return Malmesbury to the family club it used to be.” |
Malmesbury Victoria announce the signing of two new players. The first signing is Andy Philpott who has joined The Vics from Hungerford Town. Andy played for Swindon Supermarine last season but being loaned out to Wootton Bassett Town for the second half of the season. Andy brings plenty of experience to the squad and also a wide range of knowledge. He has a great abilty and is a real target man. Nicknamed 'Shearer' after the legend Alan, not a nickname earned if you are not a born goalscorer.