Squire has his work cut out to revive Barnstaple
NEW joint Barnstaple Town manager Kevin Squire is looking forward to the challenge of turning things around at the Southern League club – which he says has ‘gone backwards in the last few years’.
Squire, 43, was with Barnstaple for eight seasons – and has always played his football in North Devon. And now he wants to harness the local talent that he says is in the area – to rebuild the squad after several years of decline.
Dean Edwards was the last manager – he quit seven weeks ago – and the former Torquay United and Exeter City player often looked further afield, bringing in lots of players from the Midlands and London, many of whom only turned up on matchdays.
But Squire and co-boss Kevin Darch say they want to focus on the local talent pool again, and build from scratch. They might still be looking for their first win of the season as the bottom team in the Division One South table, after a 9-2 defeat at Frome Town on Tuesday extended their winless run to 12 defeats in 12, but the project is more long term and the club is backing the managers to change its fortunes.
Ahead of tomorrow’s trip to seventh-placed Highworth Town, Squire said: “I think the club has gone a bit backwards in the last few years – but what’s done is done, we are just looking to try to get a feelgood factor back at Barnstaple.
“We want to get local players involved and try to get out of this mess really. I just feel that whatever football club, wherever it is, at whatever level, should have local players playing for it.
“There are plenty of local players around who have been discarded for one reason and another. That’s not for me to comment on really but I do think that fans can relate to local players more than they can to players from away.”
Squire lives in Ilfracombe and started playing for his hometown club before moving to Barnstaple and playing eight years at Mill Road. Sean Joyce then took him to Bideford and he was at the Sports Ground for 11 years before returning to Ilfracombe as a player and assistant manager.
He said: “You do need experience and you do need quality but I think you can build a team with young players.
“This team has been decimated, so we are kind of building from scratch in some ways.
“I have only been doing the job for 10 days and have only just met the players, but I have been a player and I know how I like to be spoken to, and I know what got me going to games – so hopefully I can use a bit of that knowledge to get my players going.”
Darch, who has stood in as }caretaker manager on quite a few occasions at the club, is an old team-mate of Squire’s – and he knows the football club inside out.
Squire said: “Kevin has done a great job there, working hard to really keep the club going for years now.
“We were team-mates at Barnstaple and I have known him for a long, long time and I think our relationship will work quite well.
“The guys I have met on the committee, and from the meetings we have had, they all seem very onboard with what needs to happen. They have backed me and my ideas 100% so as long as that continues going forward I can see us having a very good relationship.”
North Devon rivals Bideford sit two places off the foot of the table with eight points from ten games and they are at home to eighthplaced Larkhall Athletic today.
Willand Rovers head to Lymington Town, while Plymouth Parkway will want to arrest their slide down the table at home to Cirecencester Town.
Lee Hobbs’ side are down in 13th place now and welcome a Cirencester side sitting in fourtha nd who are yet to lose in the league this season.
In the Premier Division, Tiverton Town will look to build on a moralboosting win in the FA Trophy in midweek when they head to league leaders Farnborough.
Tivvy overcame Swindon Supermarine on penalties to book a clash with Isthmian League South Central side Bracknell Town.
Truro City head to struggling Marthyr Town, who were knocked out of the Trophy by Parkway at Bolitho Park last weekend.
LEAGUE leaders Tavistock face another tough game as they head to Shepton Mallet, with manager Stuart Henderson focusing on what his team do as all those around the Lambs keep dropping points.
Tavistock have drawn three of their last four games - against teams also chasing promotion - in a league where everyone is taking points off each other.
“All we can do is try and take care of our own business, but it’s certainly good that the teams around us aren’t gaining points when we play them.”
Third-placed Buckland Athletic also face a tricky clash away to Keynsham Town.
Millbrook head to Bridgwater in need of points to avoid becoming one of the clubs starting to get cut adrift at the bottom, while Ilfracombe will be expected to win away to a Bridport side that have lost 16 of 17 league games this season. That is in stark contract to Ilfracombe, who have steadily climbed the table in recent weeks and sit fifth.
Exmouth should also pick up a win tomorrow against Ashton & Backwell United, who are also struggling, while Mousehole welcome Cadbury Heath to Trungle Parc.
Helston Athletic have a Cornwall Senior Cup clash at home to Liskeard Athletic, while Saltash United are also in Cornwall Cup action and entertain Camelford.