NORTH Leigh have appointed former Wantage Town boss James Keller as their new manager.

Keller replaces ex-Oxford United winger Chris Allen, who resigned as Millers boss on May 22 after relegation from Southern League Premier South, the seventh tier of English football.

Michael Hopkins will assist Keller, who finished the 2022/23 season as head of recruitment at North Leigh.

READ AGAIN: Chris Allen discusses his future after resigning as North Leigh manager

“I came in with 15 games to go at the end of last season under Chris Allen and learnt from a UEFA Pro Licence coach, and the style of football here and about coaching too,” Keller told this newspaper.

“As soon as I came in, I was made to feel at home.

“My aim is to step up the levels and I feel like I’m at a club where I can do that.

“I’ve had really good chats with seven or eight of the players, and hopefully we can keep hold of them.

“There are three or four who will rightfully go on up a step because they’re good players and deserve the opportunity.

“Me and my assistant Michael Hopkins are working hard to bring in players who we think can compete at this level.

“Because of my role as head of recruitment, the hard work just continues from the end of the season – I was meeting Chris face-to-face every week.”

Discussing his aims for the forthcoming campaign, Keller said: “We had momentum last season, and we were scoring goals and keeping clean sheets, but late goals cost us points.

“We’re going to give it a go and I don’t want to say the promotion word, but we want to be aiming for the play-offs.

“If the players I’ve spoken to and agreed to stay do so, and the players we’re talking to agree to sign then we can compete.

“With the infrastructure and the backing of the club, we’ll be heading in the right direction.”

Keller follows in the footsteps of former U’s players Eddie Odhiambo and Allen in the Eynsham Park hot seat but is relaxed by the task.

“They’re big boots to fill in Eddie and Chris, but I’m not fazed by the challenge,” he said.

“I’ve got good people around me and a good support network.

“They both played in the Football League, and are great characters and good people – I want to focus on myself though.”

On his time at Wantage, Keller added: “I’ve learnt a lot – Wantage was different to North Leigh, some things for better and some for worse.

“I grew a lot and I’m hoping at North Leigh to do more on the pitch than off it.”