New Diss Town boss Mike Derbyshire's immediate aim is to maintain the Tangerines' Thurlow Nunn Premier Division status.

The former Great Yarmouth Town manager was yesterday announced as the man who has replaced Chris Tracey at Brewers Green Lane with just nine matches left of what's been a dire season for the Norfolk outfit. And as they sit just one point above the relegation zone, the 46-year-old knows he must hit the ground running.

Derbyshire, who will be assisted by David Coyle, said: 'Diss are a great club with a fantastic set-up and I feel they're in a false position. It's been a disappointing season due to lots of factors but I'm just determined to keep Diss in the Premier Division.

'It's a nine-game season now. I feel we need to win three of those. It's going to be tough, I haven't got a lot of time. We're on a 12-match winless run so it isn't going to be easy to change things in a short space of time. I'm not going in to perform a revolution. The team has a solid base and they just need to be given the right direction and support to drag themselves out of trouble. We just need to be able to survive and then look at things again in the summer.'

Derbyshire becomes Diss' third boss of the term following the departure of Richard Daniels and Tracey. The new face at the helm was sacked by Great Yarmouth Town last month for 'breaking a chain of command' at the First Division club.

'Getting this job isn't about proving anything to Yarmouth,' said Derbyshire, whose first game in charge is at home to basement boys Woodbridge Town on Saturday.

'I was surprised when I got sacked. I've never been sacked before, as I'd been relatively succesful, and it was for non-footballing reasons. I still care about what happens to Yarmouth. I'd love nothing more than to keep Diss up and see Yarmouth join us next season. I believe they can gain promotion. So many good people at the club deserve success.'

Chairman Dick Upson said the short-term plan is for Derbyshire to 'steer the club away from its current position' while the long-term strategy is to build a side 'capable of competing for a top-six position'.