New management team for Barnstaple Town

Barnstaple Town will begin their assault on the Western League with a brand new management team at the helm.

Ben Watson left the club after falling short with a play-off defeat to Falmouth Town in May and chairman Bill Wilson has bided his time in selecting the backroom staff he believes are capable of leading Barum to promotion.

The duo of Ben Potter and Richard Washburn will act as joint managers, with Tornado Bello working as assistant boss, and of their first tasks will be to appoint a new captain at Mill Road following the departure of inspirational leader Billy Tucker.

In a recent fans’ forum at the club, Wilson described the pressure of running a club at this level in the pyramid.

The club said: “The club held two board meetings recently and a fans forum where the chairman laid out the stark realities of football at this level, where the costs of running the club are increasing in conflict with the demands of players, which are disproportionate and unsustainable.

“In order for the club to survive without relying solely on the financial assistance of the Chairman, drastic and more realistic financial restraints will be implemented with immediate effect.

“However, some good news is that our two most consistent players are under contract and will be retained with many of the youth prospects that have featured over the last two seasons also retained.

“The club has held two successful trial games recently, with additional games planned in the next few weeks, several players have already been identified and targeted have agreed to join the club for the new season.

“Announcements and updates will follow once the registration window is open.”

One confirmed update from Mill Road is that Barnstaple Town have withdrawn their reserve side from the Devon Football League.