Gavin Cowan eyeing new dawn for AFC Telford
Gavin Cowan is hoping that the coronavirus break can help propel AFC Telford United into a new dawn.
The Bucks boss is keen to use the break from football as a positive, to 'kickstart' Telford with new ideas at every level of the club.
Cowan, who runs his Crossbar Coaching business, referenced Fleetwood Town chairman Andy Pilley's vow that his League One club will be 'very different' and with 'lots of changes' when play resumes.
"I don't want to revel in the negativity of it all," Cowan said. "Hopefully this can be a break where we can come up with ideas.
"You look at businessmen all across the country, Andy Pilley, the Fleetwood chairman, was saying when they go back they won't do anything the same, everything will be different.
"Maybe that might be the blessing to help kickstart us and get us back to where we were historically, one of the top teams in non-league.
"I see everything as a positive to try to act as a catalyst to get us back to that status that we once had. We're not there at the moment, we understand where we are, we're not there financially or in status."
The Bucks have been grateful for the understanding of key local sponsors during the pandemic. Supporters have chipped in to raise £1,500 on the club's gofundme page while shares have also been purchased.
Cowan will be in charge for a third season in the 2020/21 campaign and after uniting the club in a play-off charge last season, knows the potential that can be achieved.
The boss continued: "We don't claim to be a big club but we have all the capacity and capabilities, with the number of people in the town, that's why I've always preached that it won't just be players, backroom and admin staff, it'll be supporters and local businesses to help get the club back where it needs to be."
Fleetwood owner Pilley, who has overseen six promotions in 10 years, warned league clubs could go to the walls if football does not respond to the outbreak.
"We want a healthy Football League with sustainable football clubs for the future. That is what I passionately believe in," he said.
"I'm also going to talk about the way we are going to run the football club in the future. It's going to be very, very different. We are going to make lots of changes."
