'Marine can flourish under the fans', claims Collier (From Swindon Advertiser)

'Marine can flourish under the fans', claims Collier

6:50am Thursday 17th June 2010

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MARK Collier believes the new-look Swindon Supermarine can flourish with fans in control of the Southern League club.

A supporters’ group took over the running of the Hunts Copse outfit on Tuesday night, guaranteeing the funds to keep the team competing at the same level and quashing any fears over its long-term future.

And although a chairman is yet to be put in place at Marine, Collier has already seen and heard enough from the die-hards to know that the club has a bright future ahead of it.

“Personally, I think it can only be a good thing,” Collier told the Advertiser.

“They are supporters - the ones who travel away, come to home games and have a feeling for the club and the players. It is quite clear they have the best interests of Supermarine at heart.

“When you are involved with a small club, things get around very quickly.

“These people are aware of the pitfalls of the past and also the positives of the past, and are looking to use their experience of both to get things right in the future.

“I attended a couple of their meetings and having sat down and listened to them it soon became clear that they really meant business and are trying to get the club back on a firm footing. I have got every hope that they will take the club forward.”

Collier will work with the same budget as the 2009/10 campaign as he bids once again to make Marine “competitive” in the Southern League Premier Division.

And the boss’ first job is to convince the majority of last season’s squad to re-sign at Hunts Copse and ignore their rivals who are waiting to pounce.

“Most of the players have stayed in contact with me and I’ve kept them informed of what’s being going on,” said Collier.

“We have got a meeting and I would like to re-sign all of them if possible.

“There will always be two or three who depart any club at the end of every season.

“So you look to bring in two or three fresh faces and that can only be a good thing.

“But I have been in discussions with quite a few players, both old and new, over the past few weeks.

“Ashley Edenborough has already gone and other clubs have made offers for quite a few of the players.

“But we have got a real togetherness at this club and that was proved last season in the way the players stuck by each other and stuck by the club when the going got tough.”

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