NEW Bridgwater Town joint-managers Dave Pearse and Karl Baggaley have stated their intention to bring positivity back to Fairfax Park after a tough campaign.

The duo were appointed on Thursday to lead the club’s attempt to bounce back from the Toolstation Western League, with Pearse continuing on from where he left off as interim manager and Baggaley joining from a similar co-manager role at Barnstaple Town.

Reflecting on his appointment, Pearse said: “It’s a massive opportunity for me as my first management job, so I’m delighted.

“Karl has been managing for a while, at Ilfracombe and Barnstaple, and so he brings massive experience to the club and the team.

“I can learn off him, too, as he knows the Western League like the back of his hand.

“We’re very good friends – we travelled to Barnstaple together - so that will help from a management point of view.

“We know who we want to bring in, and the style we want to play – it’s the perfect combination.

“We’ve invited everyone from this season back for pre-season [end of June], and we’re talking to other players, so overall it’s very exciting.

“We want everyone – first team, reserves, under-18s – at pre-season to build a closer relationship between teams and develop players.

“We need more experienced players, who know the Western League, to come in if we’re to challenge [for promotion], there’s no question about that.

“The club haven’t set us any targets - next season will be about sustaining where we are but, of course, we want to finish as high as we can.”

Baggaley added: “The size of the club and the locality make it ideal for me - I’ve been travelling up and down the motorway for years.

“I can’t see anything other than it going well – we have great respect for each other and we’re on the same wavelength, in terms of the players we’re talking about for next season.

“We also have the added luxury that Dave still wants to play, which can only be good news for the club.

“Bridgwater is a big club – the main thing is to get them back up, however long that takes, and to build a sustainable future in the Southern League where they belong.

“We know the club is still rebuilding – we want to help in that process by being successful on the pitch.

“I know it [the Western League] will be tough, but I also know how to get out of it.

“I remember playing against Bridgwater when they had 300-400 fans in, and it was a hostile environment for visiting players.

“We want people to come back through the gates, and the best way to do that is to bring success.”