JASON Matthews admitted his “affinity” with Weymouth proved too hard to resist after taking the Terras’ interim manager job.

For Matthews, the move represents a seven-year cycle between leaving the Bob Lucas Stadium as manager in April 2017 and stepping up to temporarily replace Bobby Wilkinson.

He is joined in the dugout for tomorrow’s match with Bath City by Josh McQuoid, who is well enough to take the interim assistant job following treatment for a sarcoma in his leg.

With the news of Wilkinson’s exit coming as a shock to many fans, Matthews revealed he learned of the development just before the Terras’ announcement.

He told Echosport: “Since 6 o’clock last night my phone’s gone mental.

READ MORE: Jason Matthews appointed Weymouth interim manager

"I’ve tried to talk to the players, we had a Zoom call. It’s just come out of the blue.

“I’ve tried to talk to the players individually to make sure they’re all right. At the end of the day, they were Bob’s players and the club’s.

“The statement went out about Bob going and Paul (Maitland, chairman) called asking if I could go in as caretaker literally just before the statement went out.”

Asked how easy a decision taking the interim job was, Matthews replied: “It’s in difficult terms because you never wish a manager to go that you’ve worked with.

“With my affinity to Weymouth I wasn’t able to walk away. What two bigger games for us to have? Bath and Yeovil on Easter Bank Holiday.”

Crucially, Matthews has also ruled himself out of the running to become the next Weymouth manager.

“I was really privileged to manage the club,” he admitted.

“When you come out of it and come back as a coach, you basically take in more of the stuff that the managers I worked with did.

“There’s stuff I liked with the different managers I’ve worked with, and stuff I didn’t. So, I’ve learned from that.

“For me personally, I don’t have any intention of being a manager again. On a temporary basis I’m more than happy to do it.

“It’s a little bit of their hour of need. Hopefully I can go in, steady the ship and hold the fort.

“We’ve got 50 points on the board, that’s a great achievement. We just need to see the season out, get as many points as we can and get a bit of momentum.

“We’ve got two massive games and, for me, it’s all about the players and making sure they’re OK.

“Nothing will change too much, it’s a very good group of lads and they’re very nice people as well as football players.”

Matthews also revealed that no discussion had taken place regarding the length of Matthews’ tenure.

He said: “We haven’t really spoken about it, (Maitland) just asked if I could take it on a caretaker basis. You can’t really put a time on it, I wouldn’t imagine.

“I know the lads are chomping at the bit. Two tough games in a short space of time.

“For me, it’s about taking the pressure off the players, just going out and showing what they can do.”

And Matthews is also keen to begin working with McQuoid, who has made no secret of his desire to coach following his playing career.

He added: “The first thing I thought is that I need someone to help me.

“Josh knows the players from the start of the season. We’ve had a few changes, but not mass change, since the start of the season.

“Josh is someone I admire as a person and someone I want by my side. He’s someone I class as a friend, so for me it was a no-brainer.

“I asked the chairman if it was all right if Josh could come back and help me. Josh was in agreement with that, he’s fit enough to come back.

“So, I’m really pleased to have him by my side and someone I’m really looking forward to working with, even if it’s just for the Easter Bank Holiday.”

Matthews and McQuoid will be in the dugout at Twerton Park tomorrow (3pm) and, barring a swift appointment, the Yeovil derby on Easter Monday at the Bob Lucas Stadium (1pm).