THE Isle of Wight's Sydenhams Wessex Premier club, Cowes Sports, has appointed former Yachtsman player Vic Sanders as its new manager.

The 50 year old, who officially takes charge of team affairs tomorrow (Monday), will take over the reins from caretaker manager Ian Potts and recently resigned boss, Steve Hunt.

Sanders, of Northwood, was best remembered as a sweeper for Cowes in his pomp, in a quality side which miraculously won the Wessex League Cup in 1999 and, in the next season, reached an unprecedented last eight of the FA Vase.

A Yachtsman through and through, Sanders was considered the strongest candidate from a five-strong shortlist.

Club chairman, Ian Lee, said: "Vic knows his football very, very well, has always been a club man and is football mad.

"I know he was just pipped for the job a couple of times in the past, but this time he has got what he wanted.

"We are well pleased with the appointment."

Sanders was over the moon with his dream appointment.

He said: "I've been involved with the club the past 33 years, on and off, which included a successful stint as the A team manager.

"It is going to be a tough job. To be realistic, it is most important for Cowes that we get more points than last season, which means we'll stay up.

"We have started well, but my realistic aim is to get us into the middle third of the table and see where we go from there.

"My job this year is to do what I can to progress the club and perhaps get a good run in the cups.

"But we have some very tough games coming up, so my main aim at the moment is to get a team ready for Saturday that will be strong enough to beat Portchester."