New manager begins rebuilding West Auckland Town FC 'from top to bottom'

DON’T expect a miracle.
That’s the message to West Auckland Town FC supporters from new boss Gary Forrest, who plans a busy summer rebuilding the club “from top to bottom”.
Former Shildon FC manager Mr Forrest and  assistant Stuart Niven were appointed during the same week West escaped the drop to the Northern League’s second division.
They are joined by first team coach Paul Conner and goalkeeping coach Keith Finch.
After leaving Shildon in January, where he spent 12 years, Mr Forrest said he planned to make a summer return to the fold “subject to a club coming forward with the right ambition”.
Despite two seasons in the doldrums, he decided West was that club after meeting president John Elliott.
“He told me of his plans for the football club. They are determined to win trophies. I asked for some specific things, such as sorting out the pitch and bringing it up to a decent standard. They have promised to deliver,” he said.
Mr Forrest is under no illusion of the task he faces to rebuild a depleted squad.
He met the players for the first time before kick-off at the penultimate game of the season against Jarrow Roofing.
“The squad for that Tuesday only had two subs. Against Shildon, and outfield player was in goal and there was only one sub,” he said.
“But what has gone has happened and it is done and away with.”
However, he added: “The squad certainly had an imbalance to it and there was not enough quality in depth, so it is not surprising that they were in a relegation scrap.
“That’s two years on the trot, so there is something fundamentally wrong as they have had some good players through the doors.
“We had a chat with some of the players about what they felt had gone wrong and got some feedback. There was a severe lack of confidence and a lack of direction in the changing room.
“What we did not find out is what has caused the last two-and-a-half years of turmoil.”
Mr Forrest was not at the final game of the season against Shildon but his assistant was.
“We had a game plan to frustrate and play on the counter and the feedback I got from Stuart was that the lads stepped up to it,” he said.
With the final whistle now blown on the 2016-17 season, Mr Forrest is now starting the hard work of rebuilding.
“It’s going to have to be a busy summer and we are going to have to start rebuilding the club from top to bottom,” he said.
“We are already well into it and hopefully there will be some exciting announcements to make in the next three or four weeks.
“However, expectation levels have got to be managed. The team finished fifth bottom and it went down to the last game and the season before they just managed to put a run together.
“Until Christmas they looked doomed.”