JAMES Wood revealed it took less than 30 seconds for him to accept the Poole Town’s assistant manager’s job.

Wood last month joined the Tatnam coaching staff after Steve Cuss left to take charge of Dolphins’ Southern League rivals Wimborne Town.

Former Bournemouth Poppies boss Wood had spent the past three years out of football after exiting Victoria Park in 2008, citing work commitments as the reason for his departure.

But despite continuing to run his own electrical business, Wood insisted a return to local football at Poole was a “no-brainer”.

Wood told the Echo: “With Steve taking the Wimborne job, Tom was on the lookout and phoned me and asked if I would be interested. Within 30 seconds of the call being made, I’d agreed and we were sorting out pre-season!

“The timing was right for me and it was something I was looking to get back into at a higher level. My affinity with Poole has been good over the years as a player and there are people at the club that I have a lot of time and respect for.

“As soon as he offered it to me, I snapped off his hand.

“I’d had a few offers locally, but I know how much hard work is involved as a manager, particularly in the Wessex League, and the time was always an issue because I run my own business. With the economic climate as it is, you can’t do anything that would jeopardise making a living so I was always aware of that.

“But Poole is run so professionally by a number of people at every level so it makes it easier because so many things are done for you. If I was going to a club where I would be the one organising things from top to bottom, it would be a struggle because of the time. Going into the Southern League with Poole really appealed to me and I can’t wait to start. I’m really looking forward to it.”

Wood will be reunited with several of the former Poppies players who followed him out of the Victoria Park exit, with the likes of Tom Jeffes and Lamin Dibba now preparing for their maiden seasons in Zamaretto Division One South & West.

Wood added: “I wouldn’t go singing from the rooftops about what we could achieve, but I believe Poole as a football club is only going in one direction.

“I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to be a part of that. I feel very strongly that Poole Town will be the top non-league club in the area within a few years and I wouldn’t want to miss out on that.”