BASINGSTOKE Town FC captain Jason Bristow has revealed he is to take on the club's football in the community role.

The 25-year-old central defender says he is excited about continuing the superb work his predecessor Ernie Howe did in coaching the town's schoolchildren and improving their football abilities.

Bristow was officially offered the job last week by the Basingstoke Town board of directors, who wanted a first-team player to be the new man in charge.

The scheme was put on hold after the March departure of Howe, who combined the football in the community role with his position as Town manager.

Having eagerly accepted the offer, Bristow will be leaving his current job as gym manager at The Romans Hotel, Silchester, to take up the full-time role.

And he told The Gazette: "I am very excited about it all. It's a new challenge for me, coaching is what I love to do and I'm looking forward to carrying on the great job Ernie did.

"There are lots of schools in and around Basingstoke - about 60 - so there are a lot of potential places we can go in curriculum time, and also to try to get lunchtime and after-school sessions established, to coach kids.

"I think it's going to be a good thing for me and the club and I just hope I can be as successful as Ernie was."

He added: "I know a lot of schools were concerned the football in the community coaching would not carry on when Ernie left, because he did such a good job with the kids and was such a good ambassador.

"I'm hoping to pick up where he left off and I've already been in touch with Winklebury, St Mark's, Preston Candover and Fort Hill. They are all keen to have me along to coach there.

"There are a lot of other schools and contacts I will be phoning, sending letters to and visiting over the next few weeks, because I am keen to get a schedule in place as soon as possible, especially for the summer holidays.

"I'll also be offering taster sessions and going into assemblies to talk to the kids about it.

"So while there's a lot of planning and work to get through, I've made a start and am looking forward to it a lot."

Bristow took his UEFA B coaching qualification while he was on Reading's books and is also Criminal Records Bureau child protection registered.

He says he will be helped in his new job by other Basingstoke Town first-team players who have expressed an interest in aiding their skipper.

"Ben Surey - who is doing his FA level three coaching badge at the moment - and James Taylor, who does similar coaching where he lives in Havant, have said they will help out with sessions," added Bristow.

"If we can get the interest and numbers involved that I think we will, then it's going to be good to have first-team players coaching the kids - for them and us.

"We will keep that important link between the town, its kids and the football club."

The football in the community scheme acts as a source of income for Basingstoke Town, although it is a complicated system.

In curriculum time, the costs involved come out of a school's budget, as the club invoices the school for the fees involved and it then sends the club a cheque.

For after-school sessions/clubs, parents pay their child's £2.20 fee per session to the school, which banks the money.

The club then invoices the school, which sends the invoice to Hampshire County Council. The council then pays a cheque to the football club, and the school pays the county council back.