GREAT Yarmouth Town boss Mike Derbyshire insists any future success the club enjoys must be achieved on more “solid foundations” than those that saw the club almost go out of business earlier this season.

Derbyshire has already started planning for life in Division One after relegation was confirmed earlier this month and, if the club is to bounce back at the first attempt, the Bloaters chief feels they must put this season’s lessons into practice.

“If we are successful then it will be based on more solid foundations,” said Derbyshire, who takes his side to Stanway Rovers this weekend. “We don’t want the club to face what we have this season where you’ve even had our existence come into doubt.

“I don’t think anyone wants to be there again, least of all the players. It’s not been good for anyone getting beaten heavily every week and playing against sides that are perhaps more at our level will be great for the youngsters here.”

Derbyshire is looking forward to drawing up a pre-season training plan designed to ensure Yarmouth can hit the ground running in the second tier.

“It will be great to have a proper chance to work with the boys in pre-season – that will be important,” he added. “I’ve said all along that we’re not going to start smashing the ball up the field and going long ball just because that might give us a small chance to survive.

“To be truthful I don’t think you can get away with that in this division anyway, certainly not without some more experienced players.

“I think continuing to try and play a passing game is the way to go forward anyway. The boys have done very well and they have taken on board what I want them to do, but training in season is not the same as training in pre-season.

“Everybody does things a bit differently – to be honest I want the lads 100 times fitter than they have been and I want them 100 times more ready for the challenge. Division One will be just as much of a challenge especially for young players. It’s also a better chance for the players to bond and we want the players to really gel before we get into next season.”

Derbyshire is looking for his players to show they want to be a part of the club’s future in the remaining five games and look to overhaul Newmarket, whose relegation was also confirmed last weekend.

“I want to see the lads play with the same application that they have done since Christmas,” he said. “We need to keeP feeding the younger players through and keep our discipline and our focus even though it can seem like there’s nothing to play for. Newmarket are just above us and we have them to play. If we can turn in a couple of results and get above them then it would be something to play for.”