DORCHESTER Town boss Craig Laird is hoping that his club can cement themselves as Dorset’s number one club after the recent events at Weymouth.

The Terras’ announced the exit of both chairman Chris Pugsley and manager Jason Matthews last week, and Laird is hoping his club can capitalise.

He said: “Managers know the nature of the job, it’s football.

“I like Jason, he’s a really good man. He’s been there a while so he knew at some point his tenure would come to an end and they’ll move on to another manager and another group of players.

“It’s sad but it gives someone else the chance to come in and manage them, and it gives players who perhaps weren’t getting the chance there to come in and show what they can do.

“They’re a good club and I feel for Jason because he’s been there for so many years.

“However, It’s a great opportunity for Dorchester to pick up the baton and become the bigger club in the area, because I want us to be the shining light and the main football club.

“No disrespect to Weymouth, because they are a massive football club, but it’d be nice to make Dorchester the premier club in the area and that’s what I’ll try and do in the coming years.

“Clubs have their good period and their bad periods, and I think the Dorset clubs are going through a poor period at the moment, but if we’re strong and we work hard we can bring those good times back to the area.”