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KELVIN THOMAS ON STRUCTUAL CHANGES, FORMATION OF COMMITTEE INCLUDING LIKES OF IAN SAMPSON AND GRAHAM CARR TO HELP OVERSEE RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING GROUND INVESTMENT

Chairman provides an update

5 May 2021

Club News

KELVIN THOMAS ON STRUCTUAL CHANGES, FORMATION OF COMMITTEE INCLUDING LIKES OF IAN SAMPSON AND GRAHAM CARR TO HELP OVERSEE RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING GROUND INVESTMENT

Chairman provides an update

5 May 2021

Chairman Kelvin Thomas has spoken about some of the structural changes taking place at the club, which will involve the formation of a committee structure to oversee the club's recruitment.

Using the knowledge and experience of a number of club legends such as Ian Sampson and Graham Carr, the Chairman explained how the new structure would work.

"We have had a lot of people involved in the conversations to see what would work best and we are implementing more of a committee structure around the recruitment," he said.

"This committee will provide more of an oversight across the club, both at first team and academy level and it will be a group that meets on a regular basis. It will involve Ian Sampson (Head of Academy), Graham Carr, who I have asked to sit on as an advisor to the board to use his contacts and experience. It will also include James Whiting (Chief Executive), myself as Chairman and a new Head of Recruitment who we are recruiting.

"Previously we have given a budget to the manager to spend and he has worked with the scouts but as a club we are taking a little more control over the recruitment to be more data driven and to have processes in place. It is not a decision making group but a group that will define strategy and philosophy that the club will work towards.

"This will mean a playing philosophy from the first team through the academy and we have started to see that over the last couple of months with Jon Brady, Marc Richards and Ian Sampson working in the first team environment. We already have a technical board within our academy structure but it is about the first team and the academy working closer together and closing up a disconnect in style of play that existed previously.

"It is about identifying the right type of player for us and building for League 1 and having a stronger group when we do go up next time, as we are determined to do. It is not just about processes, it is about using this committee to find better players and develop better players to give us a successful, winning football team. It will be about defining the attributes we need and require in each position on the field.

"It might mean we need a little more patience in the short term, but we still want to be a winning football club that wins as many games as possible and we will be looking to get promoted and that will be our goal. We just need to be better both for the short term and for the medium and long term future.”

Chief Executive James Whiting added: "We are in a results business and we have to keep an eye on the short term and we won't forget about that but this is all about better decision making and a more medium and longer term approach throughout the club. It is about a more strategic view within the club and to try and stop that yo yo between League 1 and League 2 so we don't have to try and rebuild a squad in League 1 the next time we manage to get there.

"We are also investing heavily in some brand new training pitches at Moulton. Paul Knowles and his team have been working on these for the last few months and they will be ready for the start of pre-season and that will hugely improve the facilities the first team have to work with."


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