MATTY Holmes says it is an “exciting” time to be involved with Wimborne and all the club needs is someone at its helm to “steer the ship”.

Magpies are searching for a new chairperson following former incumbent Paula Henley’s exit earlier this month, with Holmes confident the vacancy will be filled “very, very soon”.

The manager, who has Wimborne on course to achieve the highest league finish in the club’s history, is also buoyed by plans – confirmed at a fans forum earlier this week – to expand Magpies’ youth structure.

Holmes told the Daily Echo: “The situation at the top of the club is not affecting me at all.

"The forum was very positive. The fans are delighted by the football that has been on display this season.

“It is an exciting time. But we need someone to steer the ship.

“I know the club is aiming to get a chairperson, or someone to lead the club forward, very, very soon.”

Wimborne intend to have significantly increased their number of boys and girls age-group teams by the start of next season.

They are also in discussions with various companies about a joint football-BTEC initiative for 16-18 year olds that Holmes says will provide a “natural progression filter into our development squad”.

“We won’t have a huge budget, whoever comes in as chairperson,” said Holmes.

“It will still be about developing local players, like we have with Louis Kellaway, Luke Holmes and Ben Walker

“Those sort of schemes take a while to get going, but once we get it up and running we can coach the kids in the way we want to play and develop Wimborne players. It is a fantastic opportunity.”

With a multitude of football issues occupying his mind, Holmes does not want to be distracted by matters at executive level.

He said: “My job is to concentrate on the football. I don’t want to get involved in anything at board level.

“I am not a director. I am not interested in that. The football manager should not be a director.

"I am here purely to focus on driving the club forward, football-wise.”

Holmes takes his team to Bideford tomorrow, looking to avenge a 4-0 home defeat by the Devon club earlier this season.

Wimborne have never finished above 12th in Southern South & West. They are currently 11th, two places and five points below this weekend’s opponents.

Left-back Paddy Hester will miss the game due to work commitments and midfielder Billy Maybury completes his two-match ban, although forward Dan Cann is available again following injury.

“We’ve still got a big job to do this season." added Holmes. "It’s not necessarily about righting the wrong of the previous game against Bideford.

“We will stick to our game plan, keep tight and hopefully someone will produce that bit of magic to get us a goal.”