Home is where the heart is for new Southwick manager Geoff Pook.

Forty-three-year-old Pook was considering a season without football following Withdean's failed attempt to join the Combined Counties League and subsequent banishment into the wilderness without a league.

But the man who was going to manage Withdean is back at a club which holds fond memories.

Pook, who is making his first foray into solo management, said: "Southwick is a club which is close to my heart. I had the most success and most enjoyment there as a player during seven seasons all together and it will be nice to put something back in to the club."

Pook was part of the successful side of the 1980s at Southwick and his strong links with the club put him in the box-seat for the manager's job after the board decided to replace Malcolm Saunders.

He said: "I applied for the job although it was a bit of a mixture as the club had made it known they were looking to make a change. The opportunity was there and I was keen to get involved.

He added: "It was very disappointing what happened with Withdean but it was out of my control. Up until the day before the season started I thought I would be manager of Withdean."

Pook already had a backroom staff in place for the Withdean job and he will be taking Bob Hitchcock as his assistant manager to Old Barn Way while he is keen to keep present coach Mark Wakefield and others at the division two outfit.

With the side languishing at the foot of the table without a point, Pook is bringing in youth and experience with Micky Farmer supplying the latter. Roy Pook, Leo Day and Scott Langridge are also on their way.

As younger brother of well-known and successful Alan Pook, and his former assistant, Geoff knows people will be asking who really is in charge.

He said: "It is me who will be taking the reins and I will be responsible for results the tactics. I am taking on the manager's role head on."

He added: "My first priority is to get some stability in the first team. We need to get some wins but the aim of myself and the players coming in is to strive for promotion. We shall just be starting with a handicap."

The hard work starts tomorrow with the visit of Crowborough in the FA Vase preliminary round.