Soham Town Rangers appoint Lance Key a year on from when he first interviewed for manager’s role

Twelve months on from almost taking the job, Lance Key has now been appointed the new manager of Soham Town Rangers.

Fresh from being relieved of his duties after seven years in charge of Histon, Key looked set to be appointed the Greens boss in October 2023.

However, the situation changed and Soham ultimately handed the reins to Alex Cross.

But with Cross having stepped down three weeks ago, Key once again applied for the position and this time the deal has been rubber stamped.

Key, who kept goal for a number of professional clubs during his playing days, said: “After I lost the Histon job it was only two or three weeks later when I interviewed to take over at Soham.

“They accepted my pitch but we had a conversation a week later and things changed a little bit on both sides.

“When I look at my circumstances back then away from football, it meant I wouldn’t have been able to give 100 per cent commitment to any club.

“It was the wrong time but things have changed for me now. I can solely concentrate on the football club and thankfully when I reapplied, the club didn’t hold the past against me and we got on very well. I’m really pleased to have got the job.

“It’s a good club that is heading the right direction. The committee and the board are right behind it, there’s a great EJA section with under-18s and under-23s as well. It looks like it has a bright future ahead of it.”

While Key will meet the players for the first time at training this evening, he is planning to take a back-seat role when Soham welcome Kirkley & Pakefield to Julius Martin Lane on Saturday (3pm).

Interim bosses Lee Chaffey and Sam Spencer will take charge of the team, with Key opting to watch on from the stand to get an overview of the players at his disposal.

“It makes sense for Lee and Sam to stay in charge for this game,” added the 56-year-old.

“They know the players, they know the system they’ve been playing and they got a really good point at Dereham last weekend.

“I’ll be in the dressing room before the game and maybe at half-time, but I’ll be watching in the stands. From there I can assess the level of the players, see what their strengths are and which ones want to be at the club because when a new manager comes in, sometimes players might want to move on.

“It’s a clean slate for everybody and we will be giving everyone a chance to prove themselves.”

Despite the intention of ‘giving everyone a chance’, new faces will inevitably arrive as the weeks and months go on.

And from the initial discussions that he has held, Key is likely to be looking at adding some experience to a relatively youthful squad.

“I’ve been told there’s quite a good blend in the squad and it’s always brilliant to bring young players through,” said Key.

“But a team always needs some experience and knowhow to provide that guidance on the pitch.

“I’ve heard that it’s quite a quiet team on the pitch so maybe we need two or three experienced players to help the youngsters.

“But as I’ve said, it’s a clean slate for the whole squad and they all have the chance to be a regular in the side.”

Last weekend Mason Newman’s goal earned Soham a 1-1 draw from their trip to Dereham – a result that left them 12th in the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division.

After taking on Kirkley at the weekend, Soham will host West Wratting in the Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup on Tuesday (7.45pm).