SWINDON Town football legend Don Rogers is predicting Pewsey Football Club can win the league next year after taking the helm at the struggling outfit.

Mr Rogers has been appointed as the club looks to climb from the bottom of the Screwfix League.

A special committee meeting on Friday chose Mr Rogers as successor to Nobby Wootton, who offered to stand down as manager after the club lost eight games in succession.

The losing streak continued on Saturday when Pewsey lost 3-0 to Wellington, but now the club is hoping that the former Swindon star can bring in new players and inject new enthusiasm into the side.

Last night the new manager put the Pewsey team through its paces at its first training session since he took over and he will be in the dug-out at the Pewsey ground on Saturday when they take on Keynsham.

Mr Rogers, who scored in Swindon's League Cup success in 1969, has managed a number of local sides including Swindon Supermarine.

He said: "I always wanted to go back into management and I want to take Pewsey forward.

"I am looking to stay up in the division this year but in 18 months time I want to win the league."

Club chairman Rob Thompson said supporters should not expect an instant improvement in performance while Mr Rogers settles in.

Mr Thompson said the club committee was delighted Mr Wootton had agreed to stay on as part of the new management team and would be working with two or three other people Mr Rogers was planning to bring in to help run the side.

Pewsey club vice-president Jerry Kunkler was delighted that Mr Rogers had been selected to bring new vitality to the side.

He said Mr Rogers was an old friend of the Pewsey club who had brought celebrity sides to the village for years.

Mr Kunkler said: "This is the right time for Don to come to Pewsey. He has been looking to get back into management and hopefully we will now see the team start to go up in the divisions instead of staying at the bottom."