STUART Cattell admits it will feel strange to enter the home dressing room when Didcot Town host Wantage Town on Boxing Day.

The defender stepped down as Wantage boss ahead of last week’s 9-0 thumping by Taunton Town in Evo-Stik Southern League Division 1 South & West, before signing for local rivals Didcot this week.

His debut could come against the side he represented for six-and-a-half years.

Cattell said: “You couldn’t make it up, could you?

“It will be a very strange feeling to be playing against them, but I just felt it would be better for all parties if I moved on.

“I thought it might undermine what they’re trying to do if the old manager was still hanging around.”

Player-manager Andy Ballard was delighted to bring in the experienced defender.

He said: “Stu has been managing in the Southern League longer than I have, but he’s made the decision to take a step back in order to enjoy his football again.

“I’m still quite new to management and having another experienced head in the changing room is great for me.

“Having his knowledge and wisdom at my disposal is going to be a great asset.”

Nick Thorne could return from a dead leg for Didcot, but Jack Longford remains sidelined with a knee injury.

Incoming Wantage boss Ben Sadler hopes to include six debutants in his squad ahead of the short trip to Didcot.

Sadler brought in Sean McKeon, Tommy Austin and Joe Wood upon his arrival and hopes to complete moves for winger Ravi Shamsi, defender Callum Preece and young striker Tyriq Hunte.

With a new-look side, Sadler believes the Alfredians can spring a surprise.

“It’s the perfect first game really,” he said.

“They’re going for promotion and are in fantastic form, so they’re expected to win.

“We’ve got nothing to lose and these are the games we usually do better in.”

Cameron McNeil returns to the squad from suspension, but Mark Burton and Jared Jones are unavailable and Adam Doyle (knee), Jake Johns (groin), Tai Hulbert-Thomas (hernia) and Kai Robinson (ankle) are injured.

On Cattell’s departure, Sadler added: “I really wanted him to stay on and play for us.

“It would have been no problem for me, because he’s one of the best defenders in the league.

“But I can see that from Stu’s point of view it might have been awkward for him to go back to being just a player.

“He knows the group inside out and he’s passionate about the club, so I think he would have found it difficult to resist the temptation to step in at times.”

MONDAY’S SQUADS

Didcot Tn (v Wantage Tn, home): from Bedwell, Organ, Ballard, Collins, Keeble, Whitehead, Benjamin, Barder, Graham, Tanner, Lovegrove, Thomas, Janes, Barney, Elkins, Davis, Joyce, McNish, Thorne, Cattell.

Wantage Tn (v Didcot Tn, away): from Cavanagh, Thompson, Kalakoutis, Francis, Elliott, Butler, Broad, Halls, Scholes, Glover, Brown, D Sadler, Hathaway, McNeil, McKeon, Austin, Wood, Shamsi, Preece, Hunte.