ANDY Preece has returned to his roots and aims to bring the glory days back to Worcester City following his appointment as player-manager.

The confident 37-year-old striker, born in Evesham and a City player during the early stages of an impressive career, outlined his ambition to try and guide the St George's Lane club into the Football League.

Fans' favourite Preece un-veiled his vision after signing an 18-month contract with Worcester and thereby calling time on Nationwide Conference Carlisle United, where he bagged 13 goals from 18 games this season.

It will be the former Stockport County and Blackpool forward's second stint in management following a successful spell at Bury from 2000 to 2003. He earned a reputation as one of the country's brightest young bosses during his tenure at Gigg Lane in difficult financial circumstan-ces.

Preece, who will be joined next week by former Bury reserve team boss Andy Morrison as his assistant, was approached for the job by City after John Barton's resignation and arrives on a part-time basis. He is set to commute from his family home in Blackpool but plans to stop over regularly at his father's home in Upton Snodsbury.

Preece said he is thrilled to be in charge back at his home-county club and now wants to achieve big things with City.

He said: "I'm delighted to get the opportunity to get back into management. It's probably the only club in this division that I would consider coming back to for obvious reasons. For me, it's a massive club. I know where the club can go, I know what fan base there is, I know the ambitions of the board of directors. I hope to be the man to take us to where we want to be.

"When I look at the teams around here -- Cheltenham, Kidderminster and Hereford -- I see Worcester as big, if not bigger, than those. Ultimately, that's the goal, to make Worcester into a Football Lea-gue side and I think that's achievable."

Preece, who met City's players for the first time in training last night, said his first mission is to steer the club clear of relegation from Nationwide North.

He added: "We are in a difficult position at the minute. I haven't given up hope of us getting a good run together towards the end of the season. Hopefully, that will take us very close to the play-offs."

City chairman Dave Boddy beamed with joy at capturing Preece, firmly believing the club has a managerial gem on its hands.

Boddy said: "We are absolutely thrilled to have Andy here. He was an outstanding manager at Bury under very difficult circumstances. He did a wonderful job there and got them to the play-offs when they were in administration.

"It says a lot about Worcester City Football Club that Andy would want to leave probably the biggest non-league club to come here.

"I think the majority of fans will be delighted. Being a Wor-cester lad, he's got an affinity with the club. He played here at the start of his career and he knows what the club can be."