AFC Telford boss Rob Edwards hoping full-time dream will be fulfilled

It has long been the plan of Edwards and the Bucks' hierarchy to make the move, to be more competitive in National League North.

This campaign, a lot of the squad have already committed to training four times a week – on Monday and Friday afternoons at Compton Park, as well as Tuesday and Thursday nights at Lilleshall Sports Centre.

On if there is the necessary resources to go through with it, Edwards said: "Ideally.

"Consistently, throughout the season we've had 12 to 14 of the players, a good chunk of the players, in on a Monday and Friday as well.

"We get an hour or so of training in on those afternoons, which is great.

"The ideal thing for me would be to go full-time and really have a go.

"Obviously that's a bit budget-dependant. Hopefully we'll be sitting down and having some meetings in this next week, seeing where we're going to be at.

"I'd love that to be the case and I'd love to be able to announce it, but we're not there right now.

"What I will say is that there is a real nucleus, a tight group there, who have been getting results at this level under real pressure.

"I don't think we're a million miles away from a real half decent team."

Either way, Edwards insists Telford will be in a better position than last year.

He was appointed, hours after Rob Smith was sacked, on the day before pre-season training was due to start, meaning he took on a squad of players that he had no involvement in bringing in to the club.

"We've got try to act quite quickly now and get going," said Edwards.

"We've identified a lot of targets, been working hard behind the scenes.

"It depends on a few things as well – investment, or not.

"If not, we'll be working at the same sort of level, budget-wise, but we'll be ahead of the game."

He added: "Last year, (when appointed) it was a day before pre-season started and the squad was the squad.

"Now we have a good few months to make it our own, that will help."