NEW boss Tim Langford has drawn comparisons with one of non-league's most successful sides after a dream start in charge of Stourport Swifts.

Langford takes Swifts to ex-Football League club Chester City on Saturday, January 12, in the FA Trophy third round after Saturday's 5-4 win over Bishop Auckland.

And the 36-year-old declared the team spirit at Walshes Meadow reminded him of his time at Wycombe Wanderers.

Langford played for Wanderers when they did the Conference and Trophy double in 1993 before winning the Division Three play-offs.

He admitted: "The team spirit is superb and resembles my time at Wycombe.

"I spoke to Rod Brown who said it was difficult to imagine how good things were at Stourport now he's at Redditch.

"It takes a long time to build up and install. Hopefully, we will be keeping it.

"It's something you cannot bottle. To have players who want to fight and scrap for each other is great."

Langford is determined to keep Swifts as high as possible in the Dr Martens Western Division ahead of Saturday's visit to struggling Rocester.

He is set to complete the return of striker Kerry Giddings from rivals Halesowen Town and is planning a swoop for a Western Division midfielder.

Experienced defender Jan Mulders is Langford's new assistant and former Kidderminster Harriers striker John Powell has arrived as coach.

Langford said: "I'm ambitious. The club have come a long way in a short space of time.

"But there is no reason why it has to stop there and I want to push towards the next league and then the Conference.

"That should be the ambition on the field and off the field as well. I'm relishing the opportunity and the challenge.

"We have a pretty balanced squad with competition for places in more or less every department."

Langford is looking forward to a big test soon with the visit to struggling Chester.

He admitted: "It gives the players something to look forward to and competition for places before then will hopefully be intense.

"It's up to the players to stake their claim for a shirt for one of the biggest games in the club's history.

"I do look for Telford's results with them being a previous club of mine but otherwise I have not really followed the Conference much recently.

"So I looked at the table and was quite surprised to find Chester near the bottom. All the pressure will be on them."

Swifts head to Weston in the league on Tuesday (7.45pm).