LEDBURY Town are set to clamp down on player discipline next season as the club’s new management duo aim to bring a professional ethos to New Street.
Zac Blood, who was recently appointed first team boss along with former Town teammate Pete Boyle, said work was underway to take Ledbury in a ‘whole new direction’.
During last season former Town manager Paul Mann accused his players of showing a lack of commitment especially on one occasion when the club travelled to Handsworth United with just 11 players, including two 16-years-olds.
But Blood said he and Boyle would not allow their players to pick and chose matches next season as they look to create a new culture at the Herefordshire outfit.
“Having spoken to a number of people down here, there is one word which keeps cropping up about last season and that was ‘discipline’,” Blood said.
“There seemed to be a lack of discipline and professionalism, with players not committing to playing away games and players not showing the right attitude on the pitch, so that will be one of the first things we will be trying to put right.”
Blood said he hopes to achieve that by reducing the number of players on the club’s books by more than a half ahead of their first West Midlands Regional League Division One campaign in charge.
“When the team is announced at the start of the season, I think you will see a drastic change in personal as we have to have that commitment,” he said.
“There will be a whole new team and a whole new management and a whole new direction we can take the club in.
“There will be a clean slate for everyone and the best 20 will be selected wherever they are from and however old they are.
“If that means it’s 20 kids from Ledbury then it will be 20 kids from Ledbury. We just want people committing to the club and trying and do things the right way.”
