EXPERIENCED Dorchester Town goalkeeper Chris Weale has admitted that finding a balance between family and football was a key consideration in moving to the Avenue Stadium.

Weale, 35, has played professional football at Leicester City, Shrewsbury Town and Yeovil Town, where he started his career, but was taken with what he saw at Dorchester despite full-time offers being on the table.

He said: “My family is my top priority, I’ve got two kids. I want to devote as much time as I can to my family as I wouldn’t be able to do the same with a full-time club.

“I’m also studying for a degree at the moment so the balance works very well. I’m 100% happy with it.

“I’ve met the manager (Craig Laird) and the chairman (Matt Lucas) and I was just so impressed. It was lovely, it had a really good feel about the place – a really good family and community club.”

Weale added that Dorchester Town matched the criteria he was looking for this far into his career.

“It was just what I wanted at this stage in my career, I feel really happy. I have always said to go to the first club that wants you and they will put everything into it.

“Professional football is very ruthless and fickle and at my age I don’t need that any more!” he said.

With over a decade of full-time experience, Weale conceded that the transition to non-league football would take time.

“If I’m honest I’ll just take one step at a time. I came from non-league football at Yeovil and I played in the Dorset Combination League for Gillingham.

“It’s like I’ve come full circle, which is really nice. I’ve had the luxury of unbelievable training grounds, facilities and stadiums too,” he said.

“I was looking at the fixtures and some games get 100 people to come and watch. I’m not being disrespectful but I’ll need to get my head around that, but I’m looking forward to the derby games especially.”

Weale also reiterated his “ambitious” mindset and wants the Magpies to achieve their full potential.

“I’m not coming just to play football, I’m ambitious and want to do well, otherwise there’s no point in starting the season. We want to go as far as possible together.

“If we get it right on a daily basis we can achieve what we want to achieve. It’s about getting a team spirit together.”

After coaching at Yeovil, Weale is looking to support the Magpies’ younger players and advised budding goalkeepers against imitating individual players, urging them to “pick the best bits from other keepers” instead.