Dave Hockaday has pledged to quickly resurrect the fortunes of Forest Green Rovers after being named the club's new manager.

The 51-year-old, a former youth-team coach at Watford and Southampton, succeeds the sacked Jim Harvey at the Blue Square Premier strugglers. He inherits a squad who have only two points from nine matches, but feels his experience of working with young players will be crucial in steering the club out of trouble.

Hockaday, who established the UK's first recognised football academy at Cirencester Town in 1995, said: "I'm not despondent about the task ahead because I totally believe the potential is here to get better.

"I've watched virtually all the first-team games, as well as the reserves at Bournemouth on Monday, and there is enough talent in the squad to climb up the league.

"It will take a lot of hard work but that's something I'm relishing, as well as the longer-term goal of making Forest Green a power at this level."

Hockaday began his playing career at Blackpool as a right-back or right winger, eventually joining Swindon Town in 1983.

He made 247 appearances for the Robins, scoring seven goals, before spells at Hull City, Stoke City, Shrewsbury Town and Cirencester Town.

It was with the Centurions' academy that he made his name as an outstanding coach, and former England manager Graham Taylor appointed him Under-18s supremo at Watford in 2000.

In 2007 he had a brief spell with MK Dons, working alongside current Cheltenham Town boss Martin Allen, before being put in charge of the Southampton youth team in June 2007.

Out of work since leaving St Mary's last May, Hockaday has not been put off by Rovers' relatively small playing budget. He said: "When I started at Cirencester we didn't have any players, pitches or money, yet we won the National College Championship for five years running."