A BUSY pre-season for all at Tavistock AFC has led to three of the club's newest members sharing their initial impressions.

Stewart Cawte, newly installed co-manager for the first team, said: 'I am delighted to have taken on the Tavistock first team for the forthcoming season and am really looking forward to working with Stuart Henderson as joint manager, the reserve team management and the great people behind the scenes that make the club all fit together.

'Here at Tavistock we have superb facilities and working with the community sides I see no reason why, in seasons to come, there will not be more home-grown talent coming through and donning the red and black shirt.'

Stewart and Stuart are hoping to add some silverware to the collection, starting with the Charity Final on August 2 against Helston being played at Holsworthy, where anyone interested is invited to attend and cheer on the team.

Stewart added: 'Please come and introduce yourselves to Stu and I, the more people who give us feedback the more success we will have on and off the pitch.

'Let's remember that our successes cannot be achieved without our sponsors and volunteers, not just on match day, but throughout the week and the whole season. So may I take this opportunity to thank them, the supporters and all the volunteers and club personnel.'

Stuart Henderson, co-manager for the Tavistock AFC first team, praised the players who have beaten two sides from higher leagues so far during the ongoing pre-season campaign. He said: 'All credit must go to the players in both their attitudes and application during pre-season training and now with two friendlies under our belt we are pleased with how the players' fitness and understanding are progressing.

'The fact that the club wound up playing in the East Division of the Peninsula League last season was such a shame for their supporters, but all credit must go to all involved for their return to the premier division at the first attempt.

'I believe that we can produce a successful and exciting team on the park — this should attract a lot of attention from Tavistock and surrounding areas, improving attendances and creating a buzz, developing cohesion with local businesses who wish to support their local non-league club.

'A blend of good youth players with more seasoned performers, and all of them fit with energy and pace, I believe will be important factors in enabling us to be competitive with those established, big-spending teams who always tend to reside at the top of the league.

'We started training during the last week of June and have undergone rigorous fitness sessions which will hold the players in good stead.'

Andréa Cawte, Tavistock AFC's new secretary, is full of praise for her colleagues at the club: 'I knew there was a lot I needed to do in preparation for the coming season, but hadn't counted on just how much help I would get.

'I wish to thank my husband Stewart for his guidance, support and for all of his manual labour at Langsford Park. Chairman Chris Fenner is always just a phone call away and I thank him for his time, patience and for mucking in wherever needed.

'We have made many improvements within the ground including two new training areas and an extended seating area donated by Tony Empett, proprietor of AFE Surfacing. New paths have been laid around the pitch and AFE Surfacing have kindly donated their time to prepare and surface the areas at very short notice. Tavi Turf have generously donated their time and a large area of turf to tidy up around our new hard standing area.

'Richard Daw, Derek Pethick, Chris Hurford and Robert Reed have worked tirelessly preparing the pitch for the season ahead.

'A massive thank you to them all and indeed to all of our volunteers because without them we would not have such a fantastic ground.'

John Hutton was thanked for his dedication. John works seven days a week down at the Red and Black Club.

Andréa added: 'John has been a bit poorly of late so we're grateful that Wallis Ryan and the other lovely bar ladies are putting in extra shifts to keep everything running smoothly. We look forward to John's recuperation and seeing him back at the club welcoming players, supporters and officials as the season progresses.'

Chairman Chris Fenner said; 'All at Tavistock AFC have been working very hard to prepare for the season ahead. With new faces both on and off the pitch taking up the challenge and integrating so well with established club-folk I couldn't be happier.

'Whilst it has been genuinely exhausting getting the club ship-shape, just as with the players who have been working so hard during pre-season, our efforts now will pay dividends as we progress through the year.

'A big thank you to everyone inside the club and beyond in the business community who have given us the big push we needed and a special thank you to Mark and Farrah from Tyremarks for donating a new ride-on mower to our grounds keepers — which certainly will save them some time keeping the grass at bay.'

The club's friendly fixtures are: Wednesday, July 22 at home, 1st v Plymouth Argyle, kick off 7.30pm; Saturday, July 25 at home to 1st v Vospers, kick off 3pm; Wednesday, July 29, Res v Marjons, kick off 7.30pm.