Sidmouth Town have announced that Paddy Thomas will be the new manager of the Vikings.

The Manstone Road committee released a press-release earlier this week which read: “‘At a management committee meeting held today (September 5), the decision was made to offer the post of 1st Team Manager at Sidmouth Town AFC to Paddy Thomas. Paddy will manage the first team jointly with current coach Jason Stiling and will take up the post with immediate effect. Paddy is enormously experienced both as a player and in local league management. Following time on the books of Exeter City he has played and managed in and around East Devon for a number of years (Ottery St Mary in the Western League as a player and two Devon League Titles with Budleigh as part of their management team). He has worked with Jason Stiling as a player in the past and looks forward to teaming up with him again at Sidmouth Town where he (Paddy) has also previously managed. The Club are delighted that Paddy has agreed to take up the post to help Sidmouth Town consolidate their excellent start in Division 1 East of the Carlsberg Peninsular League.’’

Thomas managed Honiton Town last season and had put together a useful side together as Town prepared to regain the Division One place they lost back in May.

Thomas admits that he found the lure of Sidmouth Town an impossible one to turn down. He said: “I am leaving Honiton Town with a heavy heart, of course. I thought we had a great chance of getting straight back up this term and I am sure that whoever steps in there, will carry on the work. But for me, when a team of the standing of Sidmouth Town come calling, you simply do not say no. It’s a challenge and I thrive on such things. It’s a higher level of the game and that is something I have yearned to try my abilities in and hopefully, alongside Jason, we’ll be able to continue the clearly magnificent work done previously at Manstone Road by Paul and Phil (previous Vikings’ bosses Paul Ashford and Phil Margrett). Personally, I can’t wait to get started.”

Thomas met with the players for the first time at the regular Wednesday night training session at Manstone Road and will be in the Vikings dugout tomorrow (Saturday) when Sidmouth take their top of the table status to Totnes and Dartington (3pm).