Danny Bloor believes keeping Eastbourne Town in the Ryman League would match any of achievements in football.

The 39-year-old one-time Albion reserve has been unveiled as the new manager at the Saffrons.

Bloor replaces Ady Colwell who resigned in the wake of the 9-0 Boxing Day humiliation at Horsham YMCA which left Town second from bottom in Ryman division one south.

During a management career which began at Burgess Hill, Bloor has enjoyed plenty of success.

He won the County League with the Hillians with a record number of points, was assistant manager at Worthing when they were promoted from Ryman division one and then stepped up to become joint manager alongside Alan Pook, twice helping the Rebels reach the play-offs as well as appearing in two Senior Cup finals.

Bloor has been out of football since being ousted at Worthing in the summer and is relishing the challenge of saving Eastbourne Town from relegation.

He said: “I have missed it. Management is a big part of my life.

“I have had quite a few offers but until now there hasn’t been one that is right for me. This job is good for me and it is certainly a challenge.

“I have to keep them in this division. They are second from bottom, have 21 games left and 63 points to play for. We need to find 25 points from somewhere.

“If I keep them in this division that will be right up there with any achievements I have had.

“You measure success by different levels and I think this would be a good achievement.”

Bloor got a call from Town chairman Rupert Imich on Monday after Colwell’s offer of resignation was accepted in the wake of the YMCA drubbing.

He was due to meet the players for the first time at last night’s game against his former club Burgess Hill but that was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Instead Bloor will meet the players later this week before taking charge for the first time in the return fixture against Horsham YMCA on Saturday.

Town have one of the smaller budgets in Ryman division one south but Bloor is not concerned about that and is confident he can add some new faces to the squad.

He said: “At any level of football you would like to have a big budget but I am happy. Over the last few months I have been helping various managers with things and now I will be calling in a few favours.

“It doesn’t need wholesale changes but I will certainly bring in two or three players who have played for me before.

“I have looked at the existing squad and when you have players of the calibre of Danny Simmonds I think the squad is under-achieving.

“Apart from Chris Dicker and Danny I don’t know any of the players but I am looking forward to working with them.

“I need to put smiles back on people’s faces. After the disappointment of the game with Horsham YMCA on Boxing Day we can only go one way.”

The future of Colwell’s backroom team of assistant Jon Purdey and coach Micky French remains in the balance. Bloor plans to talk to both to see what they intend to do.

He said: “I have played against Micky French and have known him for a long time. He is one of the most respected figures in Sussex football and I would like him to remain.

“I don’t know Jon and he doesn’t know me. He might not like me but we will see how it goes.”

Having been sacked at Burgess Hill after winning the County League and then losing his job at Worthing last summer after reaching the play-offs, it would be easy for Bloor to feel bitter but that is not the case.

He added: “I have learnt a lot. I am not going to go on about what has gone on in the past at Burgess Hill and Worthing. I wish those clubs the best but it is all about the future for me now.”