Barum are seeking an immediate return

BARNSTAPLE Town chairman Bill Wilson says he is gutted that the club couldn’t stave off relegation from the Southern League – but it’s ‘onwards and upwards’ from now on, writes Richard Hughes.

In the end, despite a major fightback following Wilson’s takeove of the club and his appointment of experienced manager Craig Laird, Barnstaple finished bottom of the table by three points.

And while Wilson says he is still to get confirmation of their relegation into the Western League – the club is planning for that outcome after their final game finished with a 1-0 defeat at Sholing on Saturday.

Wilson said: “While we have not heard from the Southern League, or any other league, I am assuming that we have been relegated and we have already started to plan for next season.

“We have had a board meeting and we have got 80 per-cent of the squad staying with us, which is a terrific starting point.

“And we have signed eight players from our youth team on contracts as we believe that is the way to go forward.”

The aim will be to bounce right back to the Southern League, but not at all costs. Wilson says Barnstaple will be working hard over the summer with players who care for the club’s ‘welfare and future’

Wilson said: “We will be training throughout the summer, once a week, which will increase to three times a week nearer the start of the season.

“We are doing work on the pitch to make it better than what it has been. And it is onwards and upwards from my point of view.

“I feel it is more important to build a proper team based on local talent and youth rather than the unsuccessful way of soccer mercenaries that come and go and don’t really have their heart in the club’s welfare and future.”

Manager Laird will remain in charge and it is he who will be tasked with winning promotion back to Division One South.

Laird really did make a difference when he came in after Christmas – putting a stop to some massive defeats and turning things around, with the team slowly closing the gap to those above them over the final months of the season.

“We are gutted because to start 18 points behind the team above us – another two weeks would have made all the difference, without question,” said Wilson.