Saturday 31st August 2019

Royal Wootton Bassett Town have made a change in their Development team management structure.

Steve Yeardley will replace Steve Chadwick as manager of the team, who have won three of their first four Wiltshire League games this season.

He will work alongside new assistant manager Steve Shaw and current coach Andy Mullen.

Having made over 500 first team appearances – the most in Bassett history – since his debut in 2002, Yeardley will now be taking his first steps into management. It is anticipated that he will still be available for selection as a player.

He will be ably assisted in his efforts by Steve Shaw, who possesses plenty of Hellenic and Wiltshire League experience from his playing days and has been a manager in Bassett's youth section for a number of seasons, and Mullen, a UEFA B Licence coach.

Whether it be from the pitch or the dugout, Yeardley is keen to provide the right guidance and support to the Development team's young players, and to work closely with the first team manager Sam Collier and his assistant Matt Bulman.

Commenting on his appointment, Yeardley said: "It's an honour to have been asked to become Development team manager and I'm keen to get started. I want to help the team finish higher than they did last season."

"But above all, I want to develop the good young players I know we have in the club's youth section and to help them make the same transition I did from youth to senior football and eventually into the Bassett first team."

"It's been a while since we've had our own players make that step, and so I want to help change that."

"To do that, it's important to set high standards on and off the pitch and also to bring the team into line with the first team, making them more aligned. Together with Steve and Andy, I'll work closely with Sam and Matt on that front."

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The club would like to place on record their sincere thanks to Steve Chadwick for his efforts during his time as Development team manager.

Taking over from Paul Gerrish in October of last year after the team's difficult start to the season, he guided the Development side to seven of their nine league wins in 2018-19. This was enough to secure an eleventh-place finish and preserve the team's Wiltshire League status.

Last modified on Saturday 31st August 2019 at 12:15.