Non-League Natter - Angelo is relishing his new role at Stanway Rovers

That's the way I'm feeling about my position as director of football at Stanway Rovers.

It's great to be back at a club I love, where I've had so many special times as both a manager and player.

My new role suits me down to the ground and fits in perfectly with my work and personal life, having just got married in the Caribbean.

I wouldn't want to be in charge right now but I'm enjoying and relishing being director of football, working alongside Dave Jones and manager Terry Spillane.

Dave's a lovely man and brilliant chairman.

He's really positive and putting a lot of trust in me to build the club up.

Terry, meanwhile, is the right man to lead us because he's so experienced - exactly what we need right now.

He's already brought players in and there's a feeling of stability around the whole club.

He has rules and regulations, which is important when you're working with young players, and if we're organised and structured off the pitch, we believe we'll benefit on it.

That's the aim and if we give the players the support and tools they need, we hope they'll do their job and perform when they run out at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon.

Danny Slatter coming back as assistant manager is also a huge coup, because he's so experienced and knows the club inside out.

Of course, we're going through a massively transitional time at the moment.

There's no getting away from that but hopefully we'll be reaping the rewards this time next year.

By the start of next season, we hope to have our first team in the Essex Senior League, our reserves in the Border League and our under-18s in the Thurlow Nunn Youth League.

We've stood still for too long but now we're progressing again and our aim next term is to push for promotion.

We're already making signings with half an eye on that goal, because we want to hit the ground running, and we're trying to build one big community club, rather than have two separate sections - the youth side of things and the men's team.

That doesn't make any sense and it's important to bridge the gap.

Talking of which, we have some exciting news regarding our new academy, which is being launched next year.

We see it as a massive thing, both for the club and area, to have a football college in the centre of Colchester.

Boys will be able to join the academy from the age of 16.

We'll be working with an independent company to provide their education and they'll study in the mornings, train in the afternoons and then play on a Wednesday.

It's great for the boys but also a massive recruitment tool, because we'll have first pick of them when they're ready for men's football.

The plan is to have three trial days - one next month, one in February and one in June - in time to start next September.

The great thing about the academy is that it's a clear pathway for young players, from the age of five or six through to men's football.

And it will give a second chance to those who have perhaps slipped through the net, or missed out at other academies.

Our buzzword is going to be 'opportunity' and that's what it's all about - giving everyone a fair and equal opportunity.

We believe everyone deserves that chance and will be doing everything in our power to help them progress.

The academy will run in partnership with my own company, SCS Academy.

It's been going for just over eight years and I couldn't be happier.

Our sessions are packed and we regularly have over 200 children along on a Friday night.

Hopefully Stanway can start reaping the rewards and it's all part of our mantra of being a community club.

That's something we're very mindful of and we're making a lot of changes to welcome people back.

We're holding functions and events and we're trying to raise money to redo our car park, because it's so bumpy and potholed at the moment.

A little thing like that would change the face of the club, because it would be the first thing people experience when they drive to The Hawthorns.

We're so well positioned with a perfect catchment area, right on the A12 and near the heart of Colchester.

Now it's time to start making the most of that - both in terms of recruiting and attracting the best young players and also getting more people along to watch matches.

Talking of which, we're away to Takeley tomorrow but then at home to Sawbridgeworth Town on Tuesday night.

It would be great to see you there!