NEW manager Carl Poore insists the lack of a playing budget at Verwood Town need not prove a barrier to progress in the Wessex League Premier Division.

The 31-year-old rookie and former Poole Town favourite made the two-tier jump from Dorset Premier League club Cranborne when he was nam-ed as Adie Arnold’s successor at Potterne Park on Friday.

Long-serving Arnold, the most successful manager in Potters’ history, stood down a fortnight ago having become frustrated by the battle to make progress without any resources at his disposal.

However, the captain of Poole’s promotion-winning side in the Wessex in 2011 believes Town can compete next season, even if that means making steady rather than blistering progress.

Asked whether he had any reservations about working with an amateur side in a largely semi-professional league, Poore told the Daily Echo: “I don’t see it as a drawback at all.

“When you pay players, they are far more likely to go elsewhere if they’re offered an extra £10 a week. If you pay them nothing, you know straight away that the players are there for the right reasons.

“Verwood have had such a rapid rise under Adie and we have to be realistic. We have to look to comfortably stay in the division for the next couple of seasons, build on the momentum as much as we can and start looking up the table.”

Poore will introduce himself to the players at Tuesday’s match at Moneyfields before taking control of next Saturday's home match with Fawley.

Verwood lost 5-3 at Totton & Eling yesterday. Nathan Saxby (2) and Jack Lovell were on the scoresheet.

Potters: Lynch, Evans, Harding, Molyneaux, Gajic, Hampton-Brown, N Saxby, M Speechley-Price (Rutten, 80), Lovell, L Speechley-Price L (Kimber, 70), Dyer (Satter-ley, 60). Unused sub: Stroud.