JAKE Richmond says he had no hesitation bringing Kyle Critchell into his reserve-team coaching set-up at the Terras and can’t wait for him to get started in the new year.

Echosport revealed earlier this week that Critchell would be linking up with the reserves as he battles back from the illness that could have ended his life.

And it is the experience Critchell has gained with club and country that Richmond reckons will be invaluable to his crop of youngsters as they look to forge a career in the game.

“This news has given everyone a boost,” said Richmond. “The squad is buzzing about it and I’m over the moon that Kyle is on board.

“I thought he was someone who we could work with and there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that he would be the right man to come in and help us out.

“He is such a good character to have around the club and is someone who didn’t want to just sit there and pick up his wages while he wasn’t playing.

“He wanted to feel he was earning them and put something back into the club, which you can only admire.

“The experience he has gained from being at clubs like Sou-thampton, Wrexham and Che-sterfield, and playing for Wales Under-21s, can be passed on to the youngsters.

“If you’ve got a 16-year-old who is training hard every week but isn’t getting a sniff of the first team then you’ve got someone like Kyle who has been there and done it and can tell that player how things work.”

Richmond confirmed that Critchell, 26, is halfway through his Level 2 coaching badge which he will look to complete early next year.

But qualifications are not the be all and end all for Richmond, who has always been impressed by Critchell’s incredible passion for the game.

“Kyle put in an appearance at the ground back in October and we got talking then,” added Richmond. “I said to him that if he wasn’t playing and wanted to stay involved then he would be welcomed into the reserves with open arms.

“The good thing with Kyle is that he has always been interested in finding out how the reserves are doing.

“And it was because he was genuinely interested, he wasn’t just doing it to butter you up or anything like that.”

He continued: “I’m not saying I’m the best reserve-team manager Weymouth has ever had, but with the coaching team we have now, including my son Ben and Nick Bennett, I’m hoping it will be the best run reserves set-up the club has seen in terms of experience, training, equipment and coaching.”

The Terras and Portland United have this weekend off with players on duty with the Dorset Premier League side, but Brid-port Reserves host Sherborne Town Reserves at St Mary’s Field (2pm).