WITH just over a week to go before the start of the new football season, Radcliffe Borough boss Danny Johnson has moved to appoint David Powell as his assistant at Stainton Park.

Powell, who replaces Ramsbottom-bound Wayne Goodison, joins the Evo-Stik Division One North side following a successful spell at Warrington Town last season, who he helped lead to the second round of the FA Cup and a superb run in the League Cup.

The former Prescot Cables manager also enjoyed cup success as first team coach at Ashton United alongside Johnson, and is delighted to be reunited with the Radcliffe Borough boss.

"I was planning to have a short break from football but I couldn't resist the invite from Danny," he told the Radcliffe Times.

"I'm glad to team up with him again as I really enjoyed the time I spent with him at Ashton United.

"I'm looking forward to the challenge of helping to lift the fortunes at Radcliffe and developing the players at the club."

Powell transformed the fortunes of Ashton Athletic in his six years at the club, guiding them from perennial strugglers to promotion from Manchester League to NWCFL Premier Division, and Johnson is hoping the experienced UEFA B licence coach can work his magic again.

"The appointment of David is a really good capture for us," he said.

"He has a wealth of experience. He knows this level of football and he's very meticulous.

"He'll do a bit on the coaching ground and lots of analysis too.

"It will be great to have him around the club too as he's a real club man and that's what we need at the moment as we try to drum up support on and off the pitch."

Radcliffe, who begin the campaign at Mossley on August 15, continued their pre-season warm up with a 3-1 defeat against local rivals Prestwich Heys on Saturday and a 2-1 loss at home to FC United on Tuesday night, with new forward Tom Hulme on the scoresheet.

However Johnson, who has also secured the services of local youngster Omar McKenzie, New Mills' Carl Fitton, Trafford's Liam Ralph and Rochdale's Josh Tinker ahead of the new campaign, is not too concerned at the club's winless pre-season form.

"I'm happy with the squad that we are putting together," he said.

"We've got a really good core and kept hold of key players like Sam McMahon, Matty Davies, Richard Smith and Kevin McGrath.

I have big hopes for Bevan Burey and Jack Hindle this year and I'm sure over the next week or so there will be another couple of players looking for a club that we might be able to snap up to help improve us further.

"We've been without key players because of holiday, injuries and sickness during pre-season so it's been a bit mixed so far, with the back four particularly disrupted.

"It will take a bit of time for players to gel together but we'll be ready for the start of the new season in a couple of weeks time."