IAN Ford has been appointed the new manager of Pershore Town.

The new man at King George's Playing Fields will be assisted by Kevin Barry, while Gary Aldington, who stood in after the departure of Neil Hunt, will continue to have an input in first team affairs.

"Ian has some real local knowledge and we are looking for some fresh ideas and some stability," said chairman Colin Shepherd.

"The pair have an excellent track record and Gary is 100 per cent behind the appointment.

"He had introduced several youth team players into the side and that has proved beneficial. However, several players have left the club but I am sure that Ian will bring in a few new faces of his own."

Ford will take over the Midland Combination Premier Division team who have won their last two games and will be looking to take revenge at home to Bolehall Swifts on Saturday.

Town lost the last meeting between the two sides in December.

"Promotion may be asking too much this season but I am sure that Ian might have something different to say about that," Shepherd added.

"However, we are an ambitious club and want to move forward after all the off-the-field problems that we have had to overcome."

Ford takes over having led Ross Town and Cheltenham Saracens to promotion in the Hellenic League, while also steering Ledbury Town to the last 32 of the FA Vase.

The pair's last managerial apppointment was at Chipping Norton Town who folded last season and withdrew from the Hellenic League.

Pershore returned to a newly refurbished clubhouse, devastated by last July's floods, in December with all work being covered by the club's insurance company.

They received another boost only last week when Wychavon District Council announced six local sporting clubs would receive donations as a result of the flood damage.

Town officials picked up a cheque for £16,000 on Monday evening.

"It was money we weren't expecting but it will be put to good use as we have to erect flood barriers, renew the shower facilities and do more work on the floodlights," the chairman revealed. However, Shepherd was critical of the Football Association and their failure to come up with cash to help the club's plight.

He moaned: "While the RFU (Rugby Football Union) gave Pershore Rugby Club £6,000 and money to Evesham and Tewkesbury, we were told that the FA would only give us a maximum £1,000 and that we would have to apply, send in quotes and produce the last three years trading accounts before they would even consider giving us some money."

He was, though, delighted with the way the club has bounced back both on and off the field and the appointment of the new managerial team was another timely boost.

Pershore's Worcester Infirmary Cup first round match at Alvechurch was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.