CONSISTENCY both on and off the pitch is what is required if Weymouth FC is to begin climbing back up the football pyramid, according to Nigel Biddlecombe.

The devoted chairman, who took over the Terras at the end of February, is confident the club is beginning to turn a corner but believes it is important people do not expect too much, too soon.

He said: “Next season I do not expect us to win the league or be in the play-offs.

“I just want to see a season of stability where we can take a photo of the squad at the start of the campaign and then again at the end, and see pretty much the same players.

“If we can have a year where we are not looking over our shoulders and instead are positioned in mid-to-upper-mid-table I think that would be good progress.

“It is vital we try and consolidate both on and off the pitch with a view to hopefully pushing on in a couple of years’ time.

“When I took over, my message was ‘if we build it, they will come’, and I fully believe that if we can show consistency and have a few good results we know the fanbase is there in Weymouth to help the club move forward.

“That is what we want to achieve and what everyone at the club is striving for.”

Reflecting on 2011/12, Biddlecombe went on to add: “The two words I would use to describe last season are inconsistent and erratic.

“At times we were superb and at others we were dreadful but I still enjoyed the majority of it nonetheless and now we need to look to build on the areas that went well and make improvements to the ones that didn’t.

“Brendon King and Matt Groves have been charged with the task of delivering those improvements and I have no doubts they will.

“As a Weymouth person at heart and a Terras’ supporter, what happened off the pitch at the end of February was the culmination of any dreams I might have had and along with the rest of the board, we are determined to give the management team all the support we can.

“They have a clean slate now and we will give them every bit of backing possible to help them bring in the players they want and deliver the consistency and discipline we are all after.

“Part of that will see the code of conduct for the club rewritten so all the players are clear on what is expected of them both on and off the pitch.

“In order for the club to progress we need to be as professional as possible, so not only will the players be given ties to wear to home games and tracksuits for away games but we will also expect them to conduct themselves in a manner that befits this great club.

“Our main aim is to restore pride to Weymouth FC and like any football club that starts with the players on the pitch.”