We’ll put a mark down to move the club forward vows Lewer

SOUTHPORT FC’s new manager says the club can compete near the top of the league, despite being outspent by their rivals.

Alan Lewer was appointed last week and will work alongisde head of development Mark Wright as the club’s new management team.

The pair have worked together at clubs including Chester City, and are both now in their second spell at the club.

Both have been out of management for around seven years, but former Weymouth, Histon and Forest Green Rovers boss Alan says he was tempted into a return by the opportunity to work with Mark again.

He said: “I’ve worked with Mark when we were at Chester together. We’ve stayed close ever since we met and we’ve built a relationship which is second to none and we’re confident of what we’re going to do here.

“To get back in here, with Mark at the helm was fantastic for me.

“As far as I’m concerned, I think anyone in non-leaue football would say to you that my knowledge of the league is quite good and has been for a few years.

“I haven’t been in manage- ment but I’ve watched a lot of games and there are players we are targeting now who are the players that I’ve watched.

After years of high managerial turnover at the club, Alan, who spent a brief period as the club’s assistant manager in 2007, says he is here for the long term.

“I’ll be here for two years, that’s for sure. Mark and I have spoken about it with the chairman ( James Treadwell) and we’re here to put a mark down with the club and move forward.

“We believe the club has not moved forward since Mark left, because that was the benchmark, and we’ve got to get the club back to what it was and that’s not an easy task but we’re confident we can do it.

“We’ll do it step-by-step but we do need the fans behind us.” After a season which saw the club use more than 50 players, only Liam Hynes is confirmed to be in the squad for next season, with an entirely

n ew “I think sometimes when you get a blank canvas, it can be easier, whereas sometimes when you go into a football club you’ve got 16 under contract and you can’t change one of them. “I suppose the happy medium would’ve been to come in with seven players of quality because that does help because that’s your base. “But it’s nothing that phases me because I’ve doen it before and I think if you’ve done your homework and you know what you’re looking for, it can be a plus.

“We’ve signed Kaiman Anderson from Shrewsbury - a very quick boy. I saw him last year playing for Shrewsbury and I liked him.

“He’s raw, he’s quick, that’s the type of player we’re looking at - young, quick, and we’re also looking for experience in the side because I don’t believe in this league you can get away with just youngsters.

“I think the spine has got to be correct and in that spine there has got to be experience.”

Despite the challenge faced in building a new squad, and other teams in the league having more money to spend, Alan remains confident for the season.

“I would hope that we might be a little dark horse and my aim would be to press for the playoffs.

“Can we compete at the top