THE deal is done - Paul Wilkinson is the new owner of Andover FC.

The 36-year-old managing director of Andover's main sponsors Corporate Freight Logistics (CFL), Wilkinson completed the financial wranglings with previous owner Ken Cunningham Brown just days before Sunday's annual general meeting of the Jewson Wessex League (JWL) at Bemerton where it was announced that Wilkinson will officially take charge of the 120-year-old town club on Friday, 5 July - the date when KCB moves to neighbouring Dr Marten's League club Salisbury.

Wilkinson, a lifelong fan of Brentford, also announced that former Whitchurch and Broughton manager Howard Goddard as the Lions' new team boss and was given a further boost when local boys club RPM Andover agreed to join the fold as the club's new youth section.

Said Wilkinson, whose locally-based company has pumped £36.000 in sponsorship money into Andover over the past two years: "I'm extremely bouyant about the future of the club and the decision of RPM to join us is a positive and brave step on their part."

RPM chairman Martyn Mitty, who has also been appointed a director of the town club, said: "Everyone at RPM is extremely excited with the partnership and on a positive note it can only be good for local football."

Wilkinson added that the deal with KCB was completed last Friday. "We sorted out all the financial issues and Ken agreed to transfer the ownership of the club to me. He has given his word, the deal is now done, and we will be starting ground work on Monday."

The new owner however said that he and KCB still had to meet with the local council to complete the transfer of the lease of The Portway. "This is out of our hands and has to be confirmed by TVBC, but we are meeting them next week and once that's done it will be all systems go."

After completing his negotiations with KCB the new Andover owner appointed Howard Goddard as team manager for the coming season and then after meeting with RPM Andover chairman Martyn Mitty announced that from the start of next season they would officially be Andover's youth section and will relocate to The Portway.

"They will be known as Andover RPM next season," said Wilkinson, "and the season after that the RPM will be dropped and they will become a fully integrated part of the club. Their chairman Martyn Mitty has also been appointed a director of Andover FC."

Lions physio Chris Burford has also been named Andover's director of football but only on a temporary basis. "I would have like him to have done the job but he does not feel as though he can commit himself fully owing to work commitments," said Wilkinson.

Burford however has agreed to take on the role for the time being and attended Sunday's JWL annual meeting with another club stalwart in Alan Mussell. "We informed the league that the transfer of ownership will be completed on 5 July, the date that Ken will be moving to Salisbury," informed Wilkinson.

He also said that new co-director Mike Bullock, the landlord of the Station Hotel in Andover, had also started to revive the club's social side. "I'm sure Mike has some good ideas to put The Portway back on the social map in Andover," said Wilkinson.

Goddard's appointment as team manager for the coming season came as no great surprise as he was strongly tipped to take over the running of the team after KCB confirmed that he was leaving to take over at Salisbury.

The former striker, who played for Bournemouth, Swindon, Newport County, Blackpool and Portsmouth before breaking his leg, played a couple of games for Andover in the early 1980's before moving to Malta where he played for two years. He then spent two years playing in Finland before moving to Holland where he stayed for a further 16 years playing and coaching and only returned to the UK last year.

The 44-year-old Goddard, who lives locally, took village side Broughton - the club he started with as a 14-year-old - to the top of Hants County Three last season before moving to Whitchurch United but then left the JWL club after only a month in the manager's hot seat.

"I learned a lot during by brief time there", admitted Goddard. "It's a great challenge at Andover and we will be starting from ground zero, but in one way it's probably the best situation we could be in, and I hope we can entice some of the local players that have gone away back to the club.

"The success KCB has at the club over the last two years was phenomenal and you can't compete with that. "I'm chuffed to have been offered the manager's job but it was one I really wanted.

"I'm under no illusions and a number of mates have said I must have just come out of the loony bin to have taken it on but it's not just about one season, it's a long-term project.

"If we finish out of the relegation zone next season then we will have done well. It's going to be hard but it's got to be a nice challenge. Hopefully, we will be successful in other things, especially with the new youth set-up, and that we will be able to use the facilities at The Portway to bring in a few more people through the gates."

Goddard said that he already had a few players lined-up for next season and hoped to be able to announce his No 2 by the weekend. "He's already agreed to join me and I think he will be the ideal man for the job. He's just as passionate about the game as I am, and I hope we can form a winning partnership."

lAndover New Street Reserves have retained their place in the JWL, despite having finished bottom of the Combination last season, after successfully being re-elected at Sunday's annual general meeting at Bemerton. "We're very pleased to have been re-elected," said Street secretary Jim Dunn. "The whole club is delighted."