Jon McCarthy reckons the switch to full-time football could prove decisive in next season’s promotion race.

Manager Steve Burr – currently with the England C squad for games in Slovakia and Hungary – was elated when McCarthy confirmed he would remain with the club.

Now the pair are working hard to assemble a squad to challenge for an instant return to the Conference Premier.

Burr and the board agree the time is right to turn full-time, and first team coach McCarthy shares that belief.

He said: “There are lots of changes happening at the club and I think the board have realised the need to put things in place and be a bit more professional to support the amazing goodwill of the fans.

“We’ve got a chance to do that now and make sure that when we get back into the Conference Premier we are in a much stronger position.”

McCarthy explains the initial plan is to train three or four mornings a week, and he is looking forward to spending more time working with the squad.

“It’s really exciting for me as a coach and I think it’s the right way forward for the club,” said the ex-Northern Ireland international.

“It will give us the chance to work with the players, develop them, get our messages across and make sure our preparation is spot on.”

Relegation has led to  Burr’s budget being trimmed and that coupled with the full-time switch means most of last season’s squad will be moving on.

Winger Sean McConville, signed from Stalybridge Celtic, is the only arrival to date but McCarthy has reassured the fans that more new faces will be confirmed soon.

He said: “There are players we'd like to keep who can’t do the training and there are lads with good jobs who can’t do it.

“But there is a whole new group of players out there who want to do it and who can do it.

“There are young lads leaving big clubs and experienced lads looking for a transition, and we will get the right players in for the club.

“The gaffer is very clear in what he wants and even now he’s out there doing deals and putting things in place.”

Burr has won the Conference North twice with Hucknall Town and Northwich Victoria, and McCarthy played for the 54-year-old in both title-winning campaigns.

He said: “I know how he wants to play football and I’ve played in two teams under him that have won the Conference North so we know how to get out of this league and we know exactly what will be required.”