ALAN Devonshire, the new manager of Hampton and Richmond Borough, has said his first task at the club will be to rebuild the player's shattered confidence and bring in new signings (writes DALE HARRY).

The former West Ham and England player takes over a side relegated from the Ryman League Premier with just three wins all season.

Devonshire said: "Restoring confidence will be key to any turn-around in fortune. I imagine morale is at rock bottom after winning only three league games in the whole of last season."

Devonshire, capped eight times by England, is determined to get the club back into the Premier at the first attempt and has revealed he will be making wholesale changes to the side.

"There will be major surgery to the team but this is inevitable when a side gets relegated. I will see what I've got to work with and then bring in new faces."

Devonshire gets his first look at the players when they meet on June 25th for pre-season training - one week earlier than most league clubs.

He reveals: "I had four job offers, including one from Premier League side Billericay Town, but none of these seemed right.

"After meeting Hampton's chairman-elect Graham Wood a number of times I felt joining them was the right choice"

Caretaker-manager Brian Cottington is expected to leave the club. Devonshire says: "I would like to have Carl Taylor as my assistant as he was at Maidenhead. Brian Cottington has had a taste of management and maybe he will go to another club in that capacity."

Wood, who divides his time between homes in London and Massachussetts, officially becomes chairman on July 1st when Hampton start trading as a limited company.

Wood said: "Alan's track record at this level is one of the strongest and we are seeking to give him the resources to take the side into the Conference Division One South inside the next three years."

Wood was a member of the Hampton committee in the 1970s but his business interests took him away from the area until he contacted the club last season.

Devonshire spent seven years at Maidenhead and guided them to the Berks and Bucks Cup four seasons ago, before leaving in his ninth year at the at the end of the season.

The ex-Hammer, who was unveiled to fans at a meet and greet' evening at Hampton on Friday, added: "I didn't really want to drop down a league, and it was a very hard decision for me, but I felt I had taken Maidenhead as far as I could in my seven years there."

"I'm fully aware that promotion won't be easy as there are other clubs with a lot more money, but once I sit down with the board and find out what's available, I will strengthen the squad. But I was impressed with the three year plan that Graham Wood put to me."

The new Beveree boss will field his first side in a pre-season game at home to Aldershot Town on July 23rd.

May 30, 2003 11:30