New Walton Casuals boss Liam Collins could not turn down the chance to manage the club where he started his career and is not about to let them slip in to non-League oblivion.

The 32-year-old midfielder and fellow ex-Kingstonian man Simon Huckle were handed the task of rescuing the Stags from the drop after Saturday’s 4-2 FA Trophy exit to Peacehaven & Telscombe.

The pair, named manager and assistant respectively, had been assisting caretaker manager Anthony Gale since the departure of former manager Mark Hams.

Gale had inspired a relative upturn in the club’s fortunes – eight points from seven games – after an horrendous start to the campaign that saw them lose their opening seven league games conceding 23 goals in the process.

And Collins, who is only too aware his men are 10 points adrift of safety with 30 matches still to play, is confident he has the tools to preserve the Stags’ Ryman League status.

“Simon and I had been asked to help out with training when Mark went and when the opportunity came along to manage the team I could not turn it down,” he said “I never thought I’d be a manager now, but my legs are not getting any younger.

“There was nothing wrong under Mark [Hams] – he worked so hard and the players were all behind him.

“We were creating more than enough chances to win games.

“We just were not getting the rub of the green.”

He added: “That has changed a bit now and when I look at the squad we have now I’m confident we can stay up.

“Quincy Rowe has been immense in defence and Luke Medley has been like a breath of fresh air.

“There is a lot of ground to make up and a lot of football to be played, but we will win most of our remaining games and climb the table.”

Collins first came to prominence at Waterside Drive as a teenager before spells at Walton & Hersham, Kingstonian, Carshalton Athletic and Ks again – where he and Huckle won the Ryman Division One South title in 2009.

“I’ve played for so many different managers I’ve got some good contacts,” he added.

“It is funny that when you become a manager because people are a lot more willing to help.

“Alan [Dowson] rang me the other day and said if there was anything he could to help he would.”

Stags go to Folkstone Invicta on Saturday, and Collins felt they should have been going there with a win under their belt.

“Saturday was a missed opportunity really,” he added.

“It shows how far we have come when we are disappointed with a defeat to a team in the league above.”