THE new man in charge at Bowers & Pitsea said he had no hesitation in taking the job when his former club came calling.

Rob Small will take over as the new boss at the Essex Senior League club on Sunday, having replaced John Doyle, who was sacked at the start of the week.

The former Burnham Ramblers and Bowers & Pitsea player has left his post at Olympian Premier Division team Southminster St Leonards, who won the league on Wednesday, but said he did not want to be disrespectful to the club before he had secured the title.

“It took me all of six seconds to decide to join,” said Small. “This is a great club and one I know very well. They have come on well in the last year and I am hopeful we can crack on. I had a great time at Southminster but this was a good time to move on.

“My underlying hope, which I know we will achieve, is to be competitive from start to finish. A lot of clubs’ seasons are over by Christmas and I don’t want us to be in that position.

“We will be looked upon as underdogs as we haven’t been challenging for titles in recent years, but given time we will be fighting at the right end of the league.”

John Doyle was dismissed by the club’s committee despite leading Bowers to a much improved league position – 23 points better off than 2012/13.

Small played under new Basildon United boss Colin Cook and the outgoing Doyle in two separate spells at the club and he is looking forward to coming up against his former manager.

“I have a lot of respect for Colin and I know how much these games mean to him as I remember his team talks when I played against Basildon. However, I just want to get points on the board, so whether they come against Basil-don or someone else I don’t mind.

“I am meeting some of the players next week and I can’t wait to get started.”