Vauxhall Motors embark on a new challenge next week and the club’s new management team are ready to make an impact.
Motors have returned to the West Cheshire League after 12 seasons in the Conference North as the financial burden became too much.
But the Rivacre Park club does not view the drop as a step back, rather a chance to rebuild and return stronger than before.
Alan Schumacker, who won the Cheshire Cup with the reserves last season, has been appointed first team manager with Steve Foulkes and Kevin Baker as his deputies.
Peter Woolland has taken over the reserves with Neil Young as his assistant.
Foulkes, who has been involved with Motors for ‘longer than he can remember’, believes the club can look forward to the future with confidence.
He said: “We are all so positive about the new season and we can’t wait to get started.
“There was a lot of disappointed people when the club dropped down, none more so than me, but that’s gone now.
“Pre-season training starts next week and we’re expecting 50 lads down.
“This is a massive chance for us all and we believe we are going to get the club back up there and go through the leagues again.”
Motors’ youth set-up is among the best in the region and the new management team plan to use that to their advantage.
Foulkes said: “Carl Macauley did a brilliant job but the gap between the youth team and the first team was always very big.
“Now that gap isn’t so big and we’re all about giving youngsters a chance now.
“We want to build a team that can take the club through the leagues together.”
Motors will start the 2014-15 season as favourites for the West Cheshire League Division One title.
Foulkes said: “It’s going to be tough because we are the Manchester United of the West Cheshire League and people are going to come here and want to beat us.
“But we won the Cheshire Cup last season with a very young side and we are confident.
“We know we’ve got to get the results and we’ve talked to some class players and the vibes have been very positive.”
Motors have a tough pre-season lined up, with games against Chester FC, Tranmere Rovers and Marine.
Foulkes said the club would be training three times a week to prepare, and he’s tipping his friend Schumacker to succeed in the dugout.
“I’ve known Alan a long time and you couldn’t find a better person for the job,” said Foulkes.
“He gets the best out of players and he can keep a big squad happy because he knows when players need an arm round the shoulder.
“It’s a very exciting time but the one thing we need is more people to come down and get involved behind the scenes.
“Wee want the community to come and see the good things that are happening.”
