SAM Poole revealed his alliance with boss Franklyn Clarke at Portland United has been “four or five years” in the making.

Poole and Clarke first discussed the idea of joining forces at Blackfield & Langley, where the duo went on to win the Wessex Premier League title in 2017/18.

Poole, a former Weymouth and Wimborne captain, left Dorchester in October with Clarke to take a first step into management.

And the new Blues assistant-boss, who will turn out at centre-back this season, believes the partnership is well-equipped to improve a young Portland side.

He told Echosport: “Obviously it’s our first job in management but it’s something we’ve been speaking about for four or five years.

“We travelled up to Blackfield together, probably three years ago, and we’d been talking about it there and then.

“Not for an opportunity to come up this soon, but once the playing career’s finished looking to get into management.

“What do we need to do, how can we market ourselves, what experience do we need to get?

“Frank’s had experience with (Dorchester) under-23s, he’s been a captain as well for Dorchester.

“I’ve captained Blackfield, Wimborne and Weymouth so that leadership experience we feel we’ve got.

“It always seems easier when you’ve played the game to be able to understand it a bit more from a player’s point of view and get that respect.

“Everything we’ve had from the players has been 100 per cent. We’ve been very pleased with those performances.”