New Didcot Town joint-manager Ian Concannon admitted he is delighted to be back at the club where he scored close to 300 goals during his playing career, writes Matt Bruce.

Concannon and FA Vase-winning teammate Jamie Heapy, who holds the club’s all-time appearance record, were appointed joint-managers on Sunday following the resignation of Andy Wallbridge last month.

And the duo, who were schoolmates at St Birinus, Didcot, are confident they can save the Railwaymen from relegationstaering with this Saturday’s home clash with Clevedon Town.

Didcot are three places off the bottom of the Calor League Division 1 South & West with just two wins in 12 games.

Since retiring, Concannon, 35, has managed Hungerford Town Reserves and recently had a spell at Milton United.

“Obviously it’s a club we had great success at as players and I’m just chuffed to be back,” said Concannon, who like Heapy, is club legend.

“We applied in the summer and obviously we didn’t get it then.

“But when the job became available again, we got our heads together and reapplied.

“We had always wanted to be in charge of the club, so it’s a dream come true.”

Their first aim will be to avoid relegation.

Concannon said that he and Heapy have already started drawing up plans to reverse the club’s fortunes.

He added: “We’re very confident that with the budget we have in place we can stay up.”

“We’ve already highlighted players we’d like to target.

“And now we will begin speaking to them and will look to bring in players who want to play for us.

“Our first task is to make the side more organised and impose a more settled style of play on the team.”

Heapy, 34, who has played more than 800 games for the club, recently returned to training after knee surgery and expects to be playing again in six weeks.

“It will be difficult, but I’m sure we can keep Didcot up,” said the veteran defender, who confirmed that caretaker manager Paul Davis was not part of the new set-up.