Gs look to a new beginning

Godalming Town Football Club has welcomed the announcement from the government that competitive sport can start up again, with restrictions, in the near future.

But commercial manager Glenn Lye says the work is only just beginning.

Last season was a difficult one for the club, but its sudden curtailment, due to Covid, meant the Gs survived what looked like an almost inevitable drop, and start the next campaign still in the Combined Counties League Division One.

A new management team, with four new coaches and a new first team manager in Phil Ruggles , is now in place, and Glenn says the mood at the club is one of renewed optimism.

He told Nub News that first team fitness training started again a couple of weeks ago, sticking to social distancing rules, and had attracted over 30 players to each session.

And that level of interest, combined with the enthusiasm of the new coaching and management team, will help the club put the dismal 19/20 season behind them.

"We can focus on the new season," says Glenn. "They will give us new direction and focus on what we need to do as a club."

But before the players set out in search of glory on the pitch, there is a lot of work that needs to be done off it.

"We need to do a Covid-19 risk assessment on the buildings and on the people and work out how we are going to manage things," says Glenn.

"There are a lot of checks to be made, assurances to be given and forms to be filled in.

"We are hoping to increase footfall by about 30% per game next season, and we can only do that by having some success on the pitch."