Jason Cook on taking over as manager of Debenham LC in the Thurlow Nunn League First Division North

New manager Jason Cook has said that his long-term goal is to get Debenham LC back into the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division.

The search for a new boss at Friends Meadow ended last week with the appointment of former Diss Town chief Cook, who has brought in ex-Scole United manager Lee Sturgeon as his number two.

The Hornets currently sit in 17th place in the First Division North table, having won three of their 18 league games, but Cook is confident he can steer the club away from the bottom end of the division and lay the foundations for a future tilt at promotion in the coming years.

“Speaking with the chairman the targets are to push the club away from anywhere near the bottom of the table,” Cook said.

“I think that’s achievable. We’ve still got a good percentage of the season left to go and we’ll be looking at cementing ourselves in the top 10 early doors and give us a good start for next year.

“We definitely need to put some results on the board and speaking in and around the club the squad is nowhere near as bad as the league position suggests. It’s just been a few injuries and a few suspensions and a few players being unavailable.

“We’re looking to come in now and lay some foundations down and get up into the top 10.

“That’s our target for this season, and we might need to add two or three new faces in along the way to give the squad a little bit more strength in depth.

“The main goal is to push away from the bottom end of the table, get them comfortable, then we can push on.

“Our ambition is to try and get Debenham Step 5 football. That’s our goal and the club’s goal.”

Cook took charge of Diss from July 2017 to December 2018, having previously managed Whitton United Reserves and Haughley United lower down the pyramid.

Since then he has had short spells at Bungay Town, Achilles and Bramford United, before taking up the vacant manager’s position at Thetford Rovers in October.

But Cook’s desire to have another crack at managing at Step 6 has seen him handed the hotseat at Debenham, who had been without a permanent boss since the departure of Guy Hayes two months ago.

“I’ve been desperate to get back into Step 6 football since I left Diss,” Cook said. “Debenham seemed to be the right fit and I put my name in the hat and went for the interview and got it.

“Being from Suffolk myself I knew quite a bit about Debenham and they always seemed to be a well-run club from the outside looking in.

“Now being on the inside I can see it’s a well-run club. Chris Conway the chairman has given me the opportunity and gambled on me. I’ve not done a great deal since I left Diss.

“I’ve helped out here and there. I was at Thetford Rovers and I appreciate their understanding of me leaving. They always knew the goal for me was to get back into Step 6, and I’m pleased to be back.”

Interim boss Joel Windsor will remain in charge for Debenham’s trip to second placed Framlingham Town tomorrow (7.45pm), before Cook takes over for his first game against his former club Diss on January 2.

It was another weekend of postponements in the Premier Division, with Harleston Town and Walsham-le-Willows both seeing their fixtures called off due to the bad weather.

On Boxing Day, Harleston host Mulbarton Wanderers and Walsham (14th) go to Mildenhall Town (both 11am), ahead of the two sides then meeting at the Morrish Stadium on January 2.