We are delighted to announce the appointment of club legend Paul West as Football Consultant to the Club’s Board.
‘Westy’ needs no introduction to Peacocks’ fans, having enjoyed a long and successful history with the club. He played for the club’s youth and reserve teams before making his first team debut in 1987, going on to make nearly 300 senior appearances for the club. He was part of the team that won five Western League titles and also appeared in two FA Vase Finals, captaining the Taunton side that were victorious at Villa Park in 2001 before becoming first team manager between 2009 and 2012. Paul was also a founding trustee of Taunton Youth FC and integral in helping create the player pathway with Bridgwater and Taunton College and Bishops Lydeard FC where he is now Director of Football. However his passion for Taunton Town FC remains undimmed.
Paul remarked:” It has been difficult the last few weeks listening to and reading people’s comments. All so negative! The football club has taken huge steps in the last few seasons and enjoyed great success. The TTFC brand has grown massively. All this is due to the hard work of so many people behind the scenes. The players and staff at the club are looked after incredibly well and always have been. The step up through the leagues has been so quick that this time of adjustment was always going to arrive. Now is the time to stick together and bring some positivity to the party. Make no mistake about it, Kev Sturmey has taken this club to another level, and he will continue to give everything to settle these muddy waters. My role? To give honest footballing advice and help the board understand what they can do to stabilise TTFC in the NLS and also how we can integrate the tremendous youth policy we have into our brilliant club.”
Chairman Kevin Sturmey commented:” As with any Football Club, we have to continually assess and re-assess our staff which does include a huge number of volunteers. Without volunteers this club could not function and I salute all of you. While we have a lot of football knowledge within the Club at Board level there are some gaps which need to be filled. There has been some negative press and speculation recently and I always believe having a three dimensional view helps the right decisions to be made which means for me speaking to a lot of people who I discuss so many football-related subjects with. I don’t have all the answers and I won’t always make all the right decisions but luckily, I have built a great network of contacts in professional and non-league football.
One of the best is Paul West as he has done virtually every role here at the club from 15 years old in the reserves and is a Taunton Town legend. I have been chatting to Paul lately and he knows this club inside out, bleeds claret and blue and has the knowledge, skills and contacts needed to help us. He will join us in a voluntary position as a Football Consultant/Advisor to me in my roles, and the Board.”