Setchell backs new Linnets to hit the ground running

King's Lynn Town first team manager Gary Setchell is confident the Linnets will hit the ground running next season.

Setchell and director of football Kevin Boon must recruit an entire first and reserve team squad of players from scratch - but only after the club's league status has been confirmed in the summer.

"We're looking for 16 to 18 senior players and young players for the reserves," said Setchell. "Without running a youth team we will look for 17 and 18 year olds good enough to be involved and step up to the seniors. We are looking at players in Lynn who are good enough but we've also got Lynn players who have perhaps had to move away to play.

"Although we can't talk to them yet, everyone I'm sure is aware of the likes of the Deftys and others lads who maybe didn't get the chance because Lynn were playing at step two and three over these past few years. If we can try to attract some of those back we will - but when we say we want 'local' we mean 45 minutes to an hour away so we can get everyone training weekly. Added to that, we won't be paying ridiculous money so you can't get them from 150 or 200 miles away."

Director of football Boon revealed the club had enlisted the help of the Norfolk FA in their bid to secure level five football.

Lynn's top brass have already expressed a clear preference to join the Ridgeons Premier Division should they receive FA backing to apply. Club officials, however, have had a lukewarm response from Ridgeons member clubs who would be expected to vote at their annual meeting on whether or not to accept proposed new teams.

"The Ridgeons vote is with their member clubs so we could be dropped to Division One," said Boon. "But over the other side of the county in the UCL it is not voted by members, but by the committee. We have a decision to make. We met Shaun Turner from Norfolk FA and he is going to represent us in this matter so we are waiting for any developments."

The Linnets have already confirmed a prestige home friendly against Norwich City on July 13 - by which time chairman Buster Chapman is confident a programme of stadium improvements will be well under way. "We've got new toilets blocks ordered and we'd like to put a walkway right across the front of the grandstand so supporters don't have to go up and across," he said. "We're aiming to light the walkway up, put in new ticket facilities and box office and new toilets in the bar once we get the permission."

Meanwhile, King's Lynn Community Football coach Jess Ibrom yesterday pledged the scheme would continue its grassroots support for local football despite failure to reach agreement with Lynn's hierarchy over future co-operation.

Ibrom confirmed KLCF will run independently of the reformed football club with a new base in north Lynn after previously operating from The Walks. The two parties were unable to reach a compromise after initial plans for KLCF coaches to run the club's reserve team for 2010/11 were blocked by the FA.

"King's Lynn community football will now look to develop its already established strong links with all senior football clubs within the area," he said. "The scheme has always been self-sustaining through its own activities, sponsorship and grants, so this development will have no effect on the day-to-day running of the scheme."

Read club official Mark Hearle's latest exclusive column only on edp24.co.uk/sport