Milton LindsayHellesdon's hopes of recapturing past glories have received a major boost with the appointment of a new management team with a wealth of experience. Well-travelled Perry Cornfield and shrewd Paul Eggett have taken the helm as the high-flying Anglian Combination Division Two outfit look to cement a return to senior soccer after a break of over a decade.Milton Lindsay

Hellesdon's hopes of recapturing past glories have received a major boost with the appointment of a new management team with a wealth of experience.

Well-travelled Perry Cornfield and shrewd Paul Eggett have taken the helm as the high-flying Anglian Combination Division Two outfit look to cement a return to senior soccer after a break of over a decade.

'I am really excited about the appointments. I think we can really start moving,' said vice-president Paul Carrick, who ran the first team after Keith Tilney left in December.

'The club appreciates what Keith did - he didn't leave under a cloud. I have been holding the fort until we found someone suitable.'

A prolific striker in his day with clubs including Norwich United, Diss, Wroxham and Yarmouth, Cornfield has also managed Cromer and Norwich United. Eggett has managed Dereham Reserves and St Andrews.

'Perry lives in Hellesdon and his son Mark who is also a striker, plays for the club. Perry has been coming to watch us for several weeks. He is well respected and knows a lot of players,' said Carrick. He said of coach Paul Eggett. 'He has got a great football brain.'

Club stalwart Carrick, 66, was a player when Hellesdon won the Sterry Cup for the only time in the 1972-73 season under the guiding hand of ex-Canary centre forward Les Owens. Carrick is one of an elite band of local footballers who has won championship medals in each of the Anglian Combination's divisions.

He has remained with the club, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, experiencing all the highs as well as the lows of the 1992-96 period which saw them come close to folding through lack of players, but is delighted that things are on the up again.

Hellesdon are currently second in Anglian Combination Division Two, eight points behind leaders CEYMS, who they beat 6-2 recently, but with three games in hand.

Cornfield has been out of football and focussing on his golf, since a successful two and-a-half season spell as manager of Cromer ended around seven years ago.

He said: 'I've lived in Hellesdon most of my life and it's my local club.'

He said the attitude of the players, most of them in their 20s, and products of the club youth system under Tony Barnard, had influenced his decision to take the job. 'All these players at the club are good enough to play in senior football, we have just got to make them believe it.

'All they needed was a bit of direction and organisation - they are a good bunch of lads. The reason I took the job on was because of the attitude and the commitment the players have given me so far.

He added: 'We are more than capable of going up and maybe winning it if things go our way.'