New Long Melford joint managers Rob Fayers and Darren Thomas look back to go forward again as Will Wingfield and Dan Smith re-sign

Long Melford’s recently-appointed joint managers are hoping turning the clock back can be the catalyst to pull off an unlikely-looking escape act at Stoneylands.

Rob Fayers, 28, and Darren Thomas, 48, admitted they were both approached to take over the reins of the struggling Villagers ahead of Liam Joyce’s sacking being made public in the same statement as their arrival on December 16. And both holding the club dear to their hearts, felt they could not say no.

They inherited a side that had just one win in 20 Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division matches to sit second from bottom. But after opening their tenure with successive defeats – 5-1 at home to Walsham-le-Willows followed by a more encouraging 2-1 loss at high-flying Brantham Athletic – they now find themselves bottom of the pile on goal difference.

The club’s 10-year stay at Step 5 of the non-league pyramid is under serious threat with the gap to safety standing at eight points, but they believe convincing a pair of club stalwarts to return could provide the spark they need to repeat last season’s successful revival.

Combined, Will Wingfield and Dan Smith has more than 500 appearances for Long Melford we can reveal they are the old brigade set to boost a squad that has struggled with injuries so far this season, leading both new managers feeling sympathy for their predecessor.

Of the changes they are enacting, Fayers, who was already in situ at the club as a first-team coach, said: “We have released some players from the squad following the Boxing Day game and we’ve got a couple of former players returning which will give us the experience.”

Both Wingfield – predominantly a left-sided defender – and Smith – a right-sided defender – have played under a number of managers at Stoneylands including under Joyce’s predecessor, David Hennessey, of whom Fayers was assistant manager, having previously worked under him in the reserves (under-23s).

He continued: “They’re players that have played over 500 games for us and they will give us that experience to win games and get out of it, I believe.

“And they’re not just experienced, their good, they’re good individuals and people behind the scenes.”

Among those to be released are Patrick Campbell (9 apps), Tiwa Odufuye (10 apps), Shannon Brown (2 apps) and Anothny Wilberforce (1 app).

While Fayers, who had stepped back under Joyce due to juggling his commitments as a coach with Colchester United Academy, was already within the club, Thomas returned having previously had a spell managing the reserves when Hennessey and Fayers stepped up to replace Jamie Bradbury.

A former promotion-winning manager to the Premier Division of the Essex Border League with both Boxted Lodgers and Hedingham as well as coaching youth elite players at Peterborough United and Norwich City player development centres, Thomas’ arrival was a bit more awkward, being drafted in as chairman Geoff Thomas’ son to be the white knight to save the season.

“I look at it in the fact that who's going to know me better? He's got the club's best interests at heart. He obviously thinks I can do the job. He's fully aware of what my qualities are and Rob’s too, having worked with him,” he said.

“It just puts a bit more pressure on me to do even better, doesn't it? So it just gives me a bit more momentum.

“It doesn't really bother me too much, in all honesty. It just gives me an extra bit of drive to make sure we succeed.”

The duo, who will have Wingfield available - and hopefully Smith - to reintroduce to the side, will look to deliver their first home win at the first attempt, having seen the weekend’s visit of Stowmarket Town postponed, with mid-table Great Yarmouth Town the visitors on Saturday (3pm).

And Fayers thinks the existing squad have enough to take advantage of learning this week that only two, instead of three, teams will go down, as they look to repeat the rapid rise up the table which Hennessey and himself had overseen last season.

“We've got warriors on the team, people like (captain) Jacob Brown, Jake Jackson, Deklyn Roy, Toib Adeyemi.

“These guys are experienced players. They are literally warriors that will fight to the death on the pitch to get a result.”

He added: “It’s a brilliant club with brilliant people around it and we both just want to do our best for it and to keep it at this level.”