IAN Southcott, who has been in charge of Tavistock AFC manager for more than 11 years, has decided to step down as manager of the Carlsberg South West Peninsula premier club.

The Lambs have appointed former Plymouth Parkway, Liskeard and Truro City striker Andy Bowker who will be assisted by Mark Vernon and Garfeld Ewing, who are stepping up from the second team.

It was always the intention of Ian to step down at the end of the season but his off-field commitments have accelerated the decision.

Tavistock AFC chairman Chris Fenner praised Ian's huge impact over the years as a manager and committee member and stressed that he still very much had a significant role to play in the club's future development.

'It was very much Ian's choice to relinquish the post of team manager as he no longer felt he could devote the time he felt it deserved. It was very difficult for him, especially as he has business in Dubai and in the few months had to make trips out there four or five times.

'It is typical of the man that by making his decision he was putting the club first.

'Ian has many qualities, one of which is that he is a good reader of players. Some of the players we wanted to retain have had opportunities to move on but they stayed because they trusted Ian.

'He stays calm even though the team finds itself in a transitional position at the moment. But Ian hopefully will be retaining a more executive role in the future to benefit the whole club on and off the field by helping to create a set up to encourage youngsters to develop through the junior teams to the senior team.

'We welcome Andy Bowker who is very experienced at this level. Although in his 40s he is still fit and capable enough to play for the first team but he now feels he can be of great benefit guiding from the touchline, rather than the playing field.

'We also congratulate and pleased to promote Mark Vernon and Garfield Ewing after their hard work with the reserves. As a player Ian Southcott was a prolific goal scorercareer notably with the Lambs and later Liskeard Athletic.

He played for Gunnislake, Weston Mill OV, Tavistock AFC, Liskeard Athletic and Tavistock Legends before a leg injury put a premature end to his playing career.

However, he soon began to cut his teeth in management with Gunnislake Sunday side before his talents were employed by Gunnislake in the East Cornwall premier.

His success, including promotion to the old South Western Football League with Callington, led to him being appointed joint manager of Tavistock AFC in 2003 with Craig Smith, before he became solely in charge two years later.

Up to his stepping down Ian was the longest serving manager with one club in the South Western FL and the South West Peninsula FL. His finest moment at Tavistock AFC was a FA Vase 3rd round win away 2-4 at Deal Town in 2006.

A club statement said: 'We are delighted to welcome Andy Bowker as the new manager of our Carlsberg South West Peninsula Premier side.

'Andy knows the South West League football circuit inside out and will no doubt be very professional in his management as he was as a player.

'We were a little flattered by, not only the amount, but the quality of applications for this job and we would like to thank the numerous applicants who afforded us their time and effort.'

However, in the end it was a unanimous decision by the executive Committee that Andy Bowker would be offered the first team's manager position with Mark Vernon and Garfield Ewing promoted from the East Cornwall League side to operate as his assistants.

'Andy knows the South Western League Football circuit inside out and will no doubt be very professional in his management as he was as a player.

'He will naturally want to strengthen the current squad and you would expect him to attract the right players and with Mark and Garfield supporting him there will be a feeling on continuity amongst all the current players at the club.

'With Mark and Garfield quite rightly earning their promotion this has left another gap to fill and as a result we are very pleased to announce that Stewart Cawte has agreed to join the East Cornwall Premier League's management team and he will be actively working alongside Dave Ewing and Tim May who's positions remain unchanged.

'As a football club we have had a lot to deal with over the past five years with the redevelopment of the ground and the rebuilding of our clubhouse and function room which was devastated by fire.

'However, with these major projects now out of the way for the first time in several years as a committee we can now concentrate our efforts on supporting the playing side and we are excited at entering what we see as a new era.

'The only mandate for the management teams for the remainder of this season is to ensure that the first team retain our Premier Division status.'