NEW Kendal Town boss Steve Edmondson has laid out his vision for the club ahead of his first game against Stafford Rangers on Saturday.

The former Ambleside United manager says that by this time next year, he hopes his side will be in mid-table of the Evo-Stik Premier Division with a core of six or seven players from South Lakeland in the side.

Edmondson, who played for Town from the age of 16 and had a six-month spell as manager in the early 1990s, said: “I’m very pleased to be back at Kendal and I think the new management team have got a lot to offer - hopefully we can take the club forward in the next couple of years to where it should be.

“Rome wasn’t built in a day so it’ll be a long, hard slog but we know that and with the backing of the board, supporters and community we’ll be able to go on to achieve good things.

“If we can come away from Stafford with a point at the weekend that would be a good start.”

Simon Rawnsley, Martin Grundy, Maison McGeechan and Zach Clark are four players Edmondson has brought with him from Ambleside, and could feature in the new-look Kendal Town side, while Kendal have snapped up three Carlisle United players on a month’s loan to help the Mintackes out.

Tom Berwick, a midfielder, centre back Brad Staunch and forward Alex Salmon have been regulars for Carlisle United’s Under 18 side, and they will link up with the first team ahead of the Stafford Rangers clash - Kendal’s first match in a month.

Carlisle youth boss Eric Kinder said: “We are really pleased to be able to help Kendal out in this way.

“Steve has just come into the job and he’s doing everything he can to keep the club moving on. They asked if there was anything we could do to assist and I honestly think these three lads will do a job for them.

"It’s a youth loan so it means we can recall them whenever we need to, but it’s a good chance for our lads to get some competitive football at a really high standard over the Christmas period.”

Despite signing seven players, Edmondson still wants to see local players come to Town training sessions to see if they are good enough to play.

Edmondson added: “I have the club at my heart and the board of directors and others are working hard behind the scenes to take the club to where it should be.

“If people can come out and support us then that would be great because we’re all in it together and we need to stick together.”

He also said that it was difficult for him to leave Ambleside after creating a side lying third in the First Division of the West Lancashire Football League with assistant manager Cliff Ramsey.

“It was a massive decision leaving Ambleside - myself and Cliff have taken the club a long way in the last five years and it was with a hint of sadness that I left.

“But now it’s a great opportunity for Ambleside’s second team players to see if they can make the step up to the first team.”

Ramsey has taken over the manager’s role at Ambleside.

At Kendal, Dave Foster has become the new assistant manager of the club, stepping up from his reserve team manager role, while Neil Ubershar has joined the set-up as a coach.

It means the club are now looking for a new reserve team manager.

As well as Saturday’s trip to Staffordshire, the Black and Whites entertain Blue Square Bet North side Southport in a tough Lancashire FA Co-Operative Challenge Trophy quarter-final on Tuesday night, weather permitting, in what will be Edmondson’s first home game in charge.

A fans forum is taking place at the Ivy Leaf Club tonight (Thursday) at 7.30pm.