Workington Town’s Liam McAvoy believes the club is in safe hands with its new-look board of directors.

Former coach Les Ashe joined Les Smallwood and John Walker, of Maryport Bodywork Centre, in the boardroom after Town’s relegation from the Kingstone Press Championship.

And McAvoy believes they are the right people to take the club forward with a strong influence from the local amateur game.

He said: “That’s the way it needs to go.

“Stay away from bringing people in for a lot of money and go more local, try to improve the game around Cumbria to put something back into the amateur game.

“A lot of local lads will take positives from it because of the year that we’ve had, playing against Leigh and Halifax with 14 players.

“There’s a reason that happened and those amateur lads might get the chance to be part of the squad.”

The young back-row forward is not the only Town player to have endured a difficult season and, as a Cumbrian, the pain of relegation was amplified.

“It’s been up and down really. I don’t think anyone’s performed particularly badly, but we’ve all kind of underperformed,” he said. “I haven’t had the best season myself.

“I’ve grown up watching Workington and when I moved away I always followed them so I’m gutted.”