Promise to re-AwAken ‘sleeping giAnt’

Gary Alexander has vowed to turn Ashford United from relegation strugglers to promotion hopefuls when he takes over as manager this summer.

The former Millwall striker has replaced Paul Barnes as assistant manager at Homelands and will take on the top job at the end of the season.

Until then, Alexander, 38, will work alongside Jason Whitmore with a view to building a squad that can challenge at the top end of Bostik South in 2018-19.

He said: “I don’t want to be in charge of a team that’s sitting third from bottom, I want to be in charge of a team that can challenge and that’s what I hope to turn Ashford into.

“From now until the end of the season, it’s hard work. The boys who are there have got a chance. They’re where they are for a reason but it’s up to them to change that and show they’re good enough to be a side which can improve in Bostik South.

“This club is a sleeping giant. How many teams take 100 fans to Guernsey? How many teams get 200-300 fans every week? Hopefully, from now until the end of the season, we can get more. “Can we grow that fanbase and get them buzzing, ready for next season? “I’ve got ideas of where I want to go and players I want to bring in. I’ve got a book of players and I don’t want to be battling relegation. “These things don’t change overnight but I’ll be putting in the hard work behind the scenes to turn the fortunes around for next season.”

Alexander, appointed Greenwich boss in December 2015, led them to the Southern Counties East title that season and a third-placed finish in their first Isthmian League campaign. They lost in the play-offs but were riding high again when Alexander walked away from the club earlier this month. He said: “I had two good years there but I can’t help the person I am in terms of the way I react to situations.

“If I’m told things and those things change and I don’t agree, as the manager I’m going to have something to say. When the power’s taken away from you it becomes a difficult situation to work in.

“If you’re not getting results, I can understand but when you’re getting results and you’re told what to do, I can’t work like that. I’ve got morals and values in life and I stick to them.

“If you’re willing to work for me, I’m willing to work for you. I’ll defend you every day of your life until you let me down and then things have to change. That’s how I am. Some will love me, some will hate me.”

‘I want to be in charge of a team that can challenge and that’s what I want to turn Ashford into’

Alexander played a couple of games for Chatham Town but then came Whitmore’s invitation to get straight back in the dugout.

He said: “We clicked straight away. We’ve got similarities in life and the way we want to do things.

“Having managed against Ashford over the last few years, it’s got a fanbase that can grow and that’s something we aim to do. I know it’s not long since they had good times in winning the Kent League and hopefully we can bring some joy in the Bostik League.

“The club wants to do things the right way and Jason has said, at the end of the season, that I’ll take the role (manager).

“He’s going to go upstairs and still be a part of it because he’s helped the club to be what it is today.

“We want to grow and make it a bigger club than it already is and try to put it back on the map.”