Dawlish News

New Dawlish Town boss Jeff Evans believes taking charge of the Toolstation Premier club will be the biggest challenge in his 30-year managerial career.

Bristol-based Evans was confirmed as the new manager at Sandy Lane yesterday after meeting the club's committee and players on Tuesday night.

He said he had even shelved retirement plans to accept the challenge of building on the Seasiders' fourth-placed finish last season.

"It's got to be one of the hardest challenges I've ever taken on," said Evans. "At every other club, I've always had to take them from nowhere.

"Even Bath City were 19th in the Southern League when I took over, and we finished sixth from top.

"More recently, Torrington were out of it when I went there, and Barnstaple Town only had one point – but we avoided relegation and built from there.

"It's a different ball game now, though. Dawlish have finished second, third and fourth in the past three seasons, so anything lower than fourth will be a failure.

"When I left Odd Down at the end of the season, I'd done my 30 years in management and I even told my wife I was retiring.

"But the Dawlish challenge came up and I just couldn't turn it down. It could be my last chance to go for promotion to the Southern League."

Evans began his managerial career in the 1979/80 season with Old Abbotians in the Somerset Premier Division, and went on to manage 11 other clubs including Bath City, Forest Green Rovers and Chippenham Town.

In the Western League, he built the Torrington side that won promotion to the Premier in 2002, before transforming Barnstaple from relegation certainties into a side chasing the top six.

More recently, he was director of football at Welton Rovers before taking over at Odd Down on a temporary basis.

"I met 80 to 90 per cent of the players on Tuesday night," said Evans, who also spent four years in charge of the Devon county side.

"I realise they've finished second, third and fourth, so it's not like I need to bring in eight or nine players to this side.

"The side needs tweaking rather than changing, and every player will be given a chance during pre-season.

"Then, if I think I need to bring some new players in, I'll go out and do my job like I've always done."

Evans' assistant at Sandy Lane will be Torquay Grammar School teacher Chris Porter, while full-back Dean Coppard will take on a player-coach role.

The new boss met them both on Tuesday night, and said: "They're two very nice lads to talk to, and I'm sure we're going to get on at 100mph."

Adam Shearer, who stepped down as player-manager at the end of last season, will stay at the club as a player and Football in the Community officer.

Seasiders chairman Dave Fenner added: "It was a hard process to appoint the right man for the job, one who we felt could take the club forward.

"I believe we have that man in Jeff, who is vastly experienced at this level and I think the players will enjoy working with him."