MATTHEW McGowan will go from boardroom to touchline after agreeing to take over team affairs at the Wessex Stadium.

The Terras director has become acting manager after player-boss Steve Claridge was sacked on Tuesday night.

The appointment came after club officials met with Claridge to thrash out his severance package at an Eastleigh hotel last night.

McGowan's first game in his latest stint in charge comes when Weymouth travel to Welling in Nationwide South on Saturday.

The former Portland United boss will be assisted by current Terras number two Gary Borthwick and player-coach John Waldock.

Chief executive Martyn Harrison said McGowan's appointment would provide the club with continuity.

He said: "Matthew has become acting manager while we seek a new manager and we're delighted he has agreed to do so.

"He is a man who knows the Football club from top to bottom and inside to out and I can't think of anyone better to take over team affairs in the circumstances.

"It is a role he has carried out before and his knowledge of the club is second to none.

"Time after time in the past Matthew has come to the aid

of Weymouth Football Club

and I guess you could say this

is another one of those occasions.

"Gary Borthwick and John Waldock will be helping him in running team affairs for Saturday's trip to Welling.

"We haven't given Matthew a time frame of how long he will be in the role - that depends how long it takes to make an appointment."

Harrison added that McGowan would discuss Claridge's departure with the Terras squad when they travel to Welling on Saturday.

"The players were told about the decision by Steve on the coach on the way back from Thame on Tuesday," he said.

"Clearly it is a big thing for them to deal with and Matthew will be having a chat with them on the coach before the game on Saturday."