New Willand Rovers boss hopes to keep good times going

Transfer deals after bedtime, and juggling family life with football training is the new norm for Willand’s new manager, who is aiming to keep the good times going for fans. Although only a population of under 4,000, this season will see Willand Rovers take on the likes of Exmouth, Evesham and Wimborne, under new manager David Steele steps up from assistant, to the manager role after former boss Russell Jee left the club at the end of last season.

David will also be looking to build on last season, which he says was disappointing as the club came fifth from bottom in Southern League Division One South. The team were promoted to the league in 2019 after winning the Western Football League.

David said: “Myself and Russel Jee had seven years together and most of it was successful. We built the club year on year; that's the nature of this club, to rebuild each season no matter how well you do.

“When me and Russell first took over, we had a couple of years of doing well in league cup competitions, but not as well as we would like in the league. Then we had a good go at the league one year when Street won it before we were successful and won it ourselves.

“We then had a couple of Covid hit years in the Southern League where we didn't do that well, but ok in spells. Last year, if I’m honest, we didn't perform as well as we would like to, coming fifth from bottom and hanging on.”

David said that towards the end of last season, it became a struggle with players wanting to play elsewhere to get more game time.

“One or two leaving you can manage, but three or four wanted to leave,” he said. “We had loanees come in, and if we're honest, a couple of them didn't work out. Come the end, they go back to their parent clubs, and leave us