As anticipation builds around the club’s next chapter, supporters will be eager to hear the club’s vision for the future, the ambitions on and off the pitch, and the ongoing concerns over the future of Bagshot FC.

In this exclusive Q&A, Stuart shares his thoughts on leading the club and what Bagshot FC fans can expect in the months ahead.

Why Bagshot Football Club?

"I’ve known Brett Wickens since school and we are very good friends. Over the years, I’ve flirted with the idea of getting involved with the club, but it never really materialised into something concrete.

After Bagshot’s free fall in recent years (which culminated in last season’s all-time low of missing a number of league games due to a lack of players), I felt that this was the time to jump on board and try and help secure a future for the club.

I think Brett and the rest of the Wickens family were reluctant for change, but the realisation of last season’s failures meant there was little choice"

What Is Changing?

"To put it simply - the structure. The aim is to run the club in a much more business-like and professional manner. We want to attract the best people we can in football, so having a set-up that is structured and focuses on carrying out tasks efficiently, is key to running any successful business, including a football club.

We also want to engage with local businesses to try and garner as much sponsorship as possible, to help maintain the club’s financial commitments and responsibilities"

How Will The Business Take Shape?

"There will be shareholders and we will appoint a board of directors. This process is still ongoing, but the 4 shareholders that will be in place after incorporation will be myself, Brett, Zane Wickens and John Wickens.

Directorship is available to all the shareholders on start-up and the plan is that the 4 of us will take a directorship role"

Is This Why Brett Stood Down As Manager?

"No. I told Brett when I came on board that I wanted to give him support and backing that he’d never really had before. So, we put out a statement to say the club was backing him for the upcoming season.

However, with pre-season just about to start, the players he’d put faith in from last season to stick around and show commitment to the future of the club, failed to repay that kindness.
I think there were around 4-5 players available for the start of pre-season and with time ticking, Brett thought it was best to step down and try and find a new manager that was suitable to take us forward"

What’s The Plan From The New Manager?

"Well, I think first and foremost, it’ll be to get player numbers up! If you don’t have a team, you don’t have a club!
We’ve just started pre-season training this week and have had to cancel 2 pre-season friendlies already. That’s not ideal and is certainly through no fault of his own.

He’s done well in being able to get a session on considering what he’s come into and we are all confident that not only will player numbers increase; so will the quality!
The pressure is on already to make sure this situation is sorted and has probably distracted him from other plans he may have had.

One thing he will have at his disposal this season is autumn/winter training.
It’s something the club has lacked for a number of seasons, but we know it’s integral that you train all season.
He’s currently searching for venues alongside Brett, but there are some options on the table. It’ll be a huge improvement to the playing-side of things from last season"

What Can You Tell Us About The Ground Share With Frimley Green FC?

"This was vital for the club. It’s imperative to me that a club needs to connect with its community and engage with its fans, whether they’re local or further afield.

Frimley Green was the best option for this and they were willing to offer us a longer deal than most. James Markham, the Frimley Green Chairman, has been very accommodating and we look forward to building a solid, long-lasting and reliable partnership, together"

Did This Help The Relegation Reprieve?

"Yes, to some degree. Ollie Ellery reached out to us to offer us it when he discovered that the club structure was changing. I’ve assured him that the incidents of last season won’t be repeated and as I’ve mentioned earlier, we are battling this as hard as we can.

Getting the ground share gave the Surrey Premier County League confidence that we’re doing all we can to secure the club’s future"

Is There Really A Risk To The Future Of Bagshot FC?

"I think with the way football is nowadays, no one should be surprised of anything. Many clubs who have encountered serious problems over recent years have either gone under or have lost their way, becoming a shadow of the club they used to be.

We need to get things right on the pitch as well as off it and if things couldn’t improve from last season, it would be concerning"

What Is The Main Focus Right Now Then?

"We’ve made some initial brand changes (a new crest and adopting themed home colours), but the single-most important thing we must focus on for now, is the basics!
We need to back the manager as best as we possibly can. The club really needs committed players and we need to start making this club a place where people want to be.

It’s going to take time and this upcoming season will be the start of trying to lay the foundations to support a better future.

It’s the 121st year of Bagshot FC and I want to honour that with a new membership scheme (called the ‘121 Club’). Initially, it’ll be limited to just 121 people; I know that's optimistic, it will offer a range of benefits. It will certainly give back to fans who sign up for it.

Once the club is on a more stable platform, we will look to plan other ways we can grow and become more successful on and off the pitch"

Any Last Words To The Fans Of The Club?

"Keep supporting Bagshot Football Club. Now, more than ever! Come down to the KBO Stadium this season and see what we can do for you.
Be patient and give us time and we are hopeful it’ll be a great chapter for this historic football club"

#UpTheBaggies