NEW Pickering Town manager Pete Vasey is hugely ambitious about what can be achieved at Mill Lane this season.

Vasey has taken over from Mitch Cook, who left for Bridlington Town at the end of last season.

Pickering chairman Keith Usher was immediately attracted to Vasey’s mixture of enthusiasm and experience, and the new boss is sure he is the right man for the job.

Vasey told The Press: “The club has taken a gamble on me.

“But I’m young, enthusiastic and experienced and all these attributes will stand me in good stead in my new role.”

Vasey is correct to earmark these three distinguishing characteristics.

At only 28, the North Counties East League premier division side’s boss is one of the youngest in the division and this is his first break into management.

For Vasey, though, it is not a daunting prospect, but something that has given him a fervent ambition to bring success to the Pikes.

“I’m an ambitious person, definitely,” he said. “I’m excited and optimistic about the new season because I’m confident we can do well. We need to at least replicate last season’s seventh place. But, for me personally, we need to be looking for promotion.”

Vasey’s focus is not merely on an improved performance for this season, however. The new manager is eager to look further down the line.

“I feel the club has stagnated over recent years,” he said. “I know how well the club is run and I know Pickering is a great club, but this isn’t shown in our league record.

“Look at Harrogate Railway or Alfreton Town, look how they’ve progressed. Alfreton are now in the Conference and this has got to be our long-term aim. But, for now, contending for promotion is the first step.”

Vasey’s ability to achieve this, he believes, is built on more than a decade of footballing education. A former York City youth player, Vasey made a number of reserve team appearances for the club, as well as a pre-season friendly against Leeds United, where the budding centre-back was required to mark Premier League striker Robbie Keane.

After completing his degree at the University of Liverpool, Vasey returned to York City, working under Neil Redfearn and Steve Torpey in the youth set-up. These experiences are what the new boss is eager to draw upon at Pickering.

Vasey said: “The club doesn’t need wholesale changes as there isn’t too much wrong. But we did concede 71 goals last season, which is an area of concern for me.

“In this sense, I’m looking to make changes and tighten things up. This could be achieved by bringing in new players but it can also be done on the training ground as well. I’ve played centre-half all my life so I have first-hand experience of what is required.

“My experience up to this point means I know how to deal with players and get my ideas across, especially in terms of our defensive set-up. I don’t think any other manager in this division can say that.”

Vasey spent last season working with York Minster Engineering League champions Dringhouses, and the former Pickering player will be hoping to draw upon some of the successful methods used by them and their manager Neil Sanderson.

“There was a good team spirit and good morale at Dringhouses last year,” Vasey said.

“I was really impressed with Neil and the way he handled the players. He created an admirable rapport. I will be looking to bring some of his ideas to Pickering.”

Vasey’s new club began pre-season training on June 28 and a mostly under-19s side lost 2-1 to Wigginton before they beat Dunnington 3-2.

The Pikes’ first home friendly was against Whitby Town last night.

Vasey noted on his squad’s return to training: “The playing squad is still a little unsure.

“We’ve had a substantial amount of new players but it’s been difficult due to Mitch’s departure, which has inevitable effects on the playing staff.

“I’m hopeful of keeping as many as possible as we already have a good squad here and with some good young players coming through, things are looking promising.

“I’m confident we’ll make a good start once the new season gets under way.”