Newly appointed Cheddar boss Michael Dangerfield says he is looking to “build upon all that has been achieved” by former managers Craig Mawford and Shaun Potter.

Dangerfield, a PE teacher at a school in Weston, has been coaching football for 20 years and started the under-18s side at Weston St Johns before going on to be player manager of the firsts.

After moving to Cheddar in 2016, Dangerfield spent three years at Bowdens Park before joining Clevedon Town at the beginning of the 2019-20 season.

He took control of the under-18s side, whilst being their regular first-team goalkeeper, but returned to Cheddar later that same season and was appointed assistant manager under then manager Mawford.

“I am over the moon. I am immensely proud, excited, and honoured to be given the opportunity to lead a club that means such a lot to me,” said the 38-year-old.

“I consider that I have the passion, Toolstation League experience and desire to succeed collectively and in terms of motivation.

“I am looking to stabilise and move forward and build upon all that has been achieved by Craig [Mawford] and before him, Shaun [Potter].”

The first thing Dangerfield wants to do is “build stronger bridges” between both firsts and reserves as well as the A team and reserves.

Dangerfield added he wants to bring players from their third and second teams into the first team.

“I want the right people to be involved and to play for the club,” he added.

“We have been punching well above our weight and have been for years. I cannot wait to get started.

“My biggest challenge is replacing so many quality, experienced players with over 1,000 Toolstation appearances between them, players that have retired or stepped down a level, changed sports or moved closer to home.

“It is not going to be a complete rebuild but a case of replacing a strong core of characters and talented players that I have had the pleasure of playing with myself.

“Many of the younger players from last season will be returning with an influx of fresh blood from one or two returning players who have represented the Cheese before.”

Chairman Matt Postins said Dangerfield was the “outstanding candidate” from the “quality applications” they had received.

And Postins says he hopes this season will bring them them promotion from Toolstation Western League Division One into the Premier Division.

“He was the one most closely aligned with Cheddar Football Club’s identity and its aims, and I am very much looking forward to the new season,” he said.

“I am looking for a settled side too as last season we lost a lot of players through injury and that, without doubt, unsettled the squad during mid-season.

“During my time as chairman every time we have appointed a new manager we have appointed from within; Shaun Potter taking over from Jared Greenhalgh, then Craig Mawford succeeding Shaun.

“It has been a natural progression to appoint Michael and I have every confidence that it will work well, and I am delighted that we've got him [Michael] on board as the new manager, he is well known and well loved by the complete set-up.

“He has a string of good connections, and we can move forward. I feel that the new season will be a period of transition and we can move on from what we did last season with the ultimate aim of promotion to the Toolstation Premier Division.”