BLACKFIELD & Langley have appointed Glenn Howes as their new first-team boss.

Vastly experienced manager John Robson, who led the Watersiders to a fifth-placed finish in the Sydenhams Premier Division last season, is staying on as director of football, while Chris Farrell will continue in his assistant's role.

For Howes, it will be his first managerial appointment and, at the age of 31, he will bring fresh ideas and youthfulness to the role.

"Without being rude to John, Sam (Davies, Blackfield's main financial backer) was looking to get someone a lot younger in and John and I will assist Glenn in every way we can," said Farrell.

"We're restructuring the management side to try and create the impetus to win what will be the strongest Wessex League in a long, long time.

"It's a fantastic opportunity for Glenn in his first management post, but we have to try and win the league.

"Glenn's incredibly enthusiastic - and so he should be. This is a great chance to really put his stamp on it and, hopefully, it will be a big positive for everyone."

Howes, a leisure centre manager from Hedge End, was a highly-rated midfielder with Eastleigh, Basingstoke Town, Newport IoW and Gosport Borough.

But his career was cruelly cut short in distressing circumstances two years ago when, playing for Poole Town, he fell victim of a nasty challenge against Merthyr and Penydarren Park.

Following a number of consultations with specialists, Howes discovered he had ruptured medial and posterior cruciate ligaments, damaged cartilage and fractured the knee joint.

Howes was too upset to comment at the time, but Poole boss Tom Killick described it as "devastating news" for the popular midfielder.

Farrell said: "I've spoken to in excess of 30 people about Glenn and everyone sings from the same hymn sheet. They say he's a really nice guy who's passionate about football and he really knows his stuff.

"Why shouldn't he be successful?"