FRANKLYN Clarke was the “stand-out candidate” to take the vacant Weymouth Under-23s job, first-team boss Mark Molesley has revealed.

Clarke took the head coach role after Craig Adams stepped away as manager following the end of the 2023/24 season.

Former Portland United gaffer Clarke had a proven track record in developing players at the Blues and also runs a coaching business.

The ex-Poole, Dorchester, Wimborne and Shaftesbury midfielder has named Matt Harvey as his assistant.

READ MORE: Franklyn Clarke named new Weymouth Under-23s head coach

Harvey sacrificed his squad place at Portland United in order to focus on his new position at the Terras.

Molesley also revealed he had attempted to sign Clarke as a player during his first stint as Weymouth boss between 2017 and 2020.

Speaking to Echosport after Clarke agreed to succeed Adams, Molesley expressed his optimism in working with Clarke this term.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” he said.

“I know Franklyn and I’ve come across him a few times.

“I actually came close to signing him a few times.

“He was the stand-out candidate for us straight away, the first name that came up when we were discussing the 23s.

“He was quickly mooted, so we were delighted that he was as enthusiastic as we were to bring him in and for him to come over.

“I’m really pleased because he’s not long out of playing, he’s got some managerial experience, he’s local and he really does tick a lot of the boxes.

“Most importantly, he’s like us. He’s keen to improve himself every day and get better as a coach and manager.

“That’s what we’re searching for all the time, me and my staff. It’s all about trying to be the best version of yourself.

“He’s really keen to continue his coaching and management pathway but he also sees that the most important thing is making players better.”

Molesley also indicated there would be no results pressure on Clarke, with his number one aim to encourage growth in the Terras’ young crop of talent.

“I will never judge Franklyn on any results at all,” Molesley insisted.

“Our judgments will always be on the environment he’s creating for young players to improve, that’s what we’re looking for.

“There’s going to be a range of ways of doing that but the most important thing is we’ve got a really good leader and a really good coach.

“That’s going to be great for the football club and it’s someone who can really start to gel and get that connection between the 23s and the first team.

“It’s not going to happen overnight, these things. Developing players, a pathway and recruitment strategy, they take time.

“What we have got is a really astute coach, a hard-working man who can hopefully start to embed our philosophy from the first team all the way down.

“Then, we want to start seeing that link from our youngest teams.

“We’ve got a great youth section and we really want to start seeing a connection from that all the way through to the first team.”

Weymouth’s first team get their pre-season campaign under way on Thursday away to Step 5 side Hamworthy Rec (7.45pm).