NEW Feltham FC boss Cecil Collins this week gave a very frank assessment of his task ahead, saying 'this club is dead'.

Collins took over the reins three weeks ago after Darren Lake stepped down following the death of his mother.

Two wins and two defeats has meant a mixed start - but one of them was an 8-1 thrashing of Chobham last Wednesday in which his new side showed their true potential.

Collins was a player with Feltham in their glory days of the early 1980s, when they reached the top flight of the Isthmian League.

And he reckons he is the man to rescue them from the doldrums of Combined Counties Division One and bring back some of that glory.

He said: "How different a club is it from when I was here as a player? Basically, this club is dead, and has been for a number of years.

"But I'm a very ambitious person and want to get it back where it belongs. Just getting back to the Combined Counties Premier would give us the right exposure.

"I've been talking to players who have played under me before, but they have taken one look at the league table, seen where we are and said they're not interested.

"We need to be up there to attract the right sort of player, and each game will be like a cup final for the rest of the season - we can't afford to lose any more.

"We need to be more professional on and off the pitch."

Former Bedfont player Mark Gallagher notched four goals against Chobham, while Anthony Clarke bagged two, and there was one each for Marcel Jones and Aaron Downes.

Feltham were unlucky to then lose 1-0 to Staines Lammas in Saturday's derby, with another exBedfont player, Steve Potter, denied a late equaliser by the visiting keeper.

Feltham visit Croydon Municipal tomorrow, while Bedfont Sports

travel to Mole Valley SCR and CB Hounslow United are on the road at Westfield.

A Sam Edwards penalty saw CB hold Eversley 1-1 on Saturday, but they went down 4-1 at Cobham on Tuesday night, despite a Mark Peters strike.