AFC Totton have gone in-house by appointing reliable defender Stuart Ritchie as their new first-team boss.

The 36-year-old, who joined the Stags from Havant & Waterlooville in the summer of 2000, will be assisted by long-serving midfielder Sean New, a Testwood Park man for eight years.

Totton have spoken to former Andover boss Howard Goddard and former Newport man Steve Tate since Barry Blankley decided to stand down last month, but they wanted minimal upheaval in what has been a difficult spell for the Sydenhams Wessex League club.

Acting chairman Richie Maton explained: "We did speak to other people, but we're desperately looking for stability.

"If we'd bought in a new man from outside, he might have had different ideas and different ways of doing things and all of a sudden there would have been major upheaval again.

"Stuart's been with us through good times and bad. He's a well-respected team member and will get lots of players to play for him.

"When he put himself forward to work with Sean New, we were over the moon. As soon as they knew they had the job, they were straight on the phone making sure players turned up. We had a superb turnout for training this week."

Ritchie, pictured, served his apprenticeship at Aston Villa and made 13 starts as a midfielder for Crewe in the 1987/88 season.

Locally, the set-piece specialist has played for Bashley, Newport IoW and Havant and has a reputation of being calm under pressure and reading the game well.

As part of a link-up with local Tyro League side Testwood, Totton will be launching an under-16 team next season.

Testwood man Pete Glasspool is taking over at the reserve team helm, assisted by Colin Plumhoff from Brockenhurst. The under-18 side, who are moving over from Bashley, will be managed by Chris Parnell.

Meanwhile, it's all systems go getting Totton's Testwood Park headquarters spruced up for the start of the new Wessex League campaign.

Having failed two ground inspections, the Stags have until August 8 to convince the SWL inspection team that their pitch and changing rooms are up to scratch.

Maton reported: "We've got a working party together and made really good progress on the pitch.

"The changing rooms are being painted, we've got a maintenance man doing the floors and we're getting a brand new Portakabin next week for the referees' changing room."