Seb Hayes is relishing his biggest challenge in management.

That is how the new Wisbech Town boss described his appointment at the Elgoods Fenland Stadium.

Hayes succeeds Gary Setchell in the Fenmen hotseat and his brief will be to match his predecessor's feat to keeping the club at Step 4.

But the 43 year-old, who is stepping up to this level for the first-time following trophy-winning spells in the United Counties League Premier Division with Huntingdon Town, Peterborough Northern Star and Holbeach United, insists he doesn't plan on being involved in a Northern Premier League Division One South East relegation scrap.

Hayes said: "This is the biggest club I've managed and I feel it's the right time to make the step up.

"It's also the biggest budget I've ever worked with so I'm certainly not going to complain about that.

"It's now up to me to use it as wisely I can to build the best possible squad. Only time will tell whether myself and the players I bring in are good enough.

"I've been written off at every club I've been at and have always managed to prove people wrong - and I fully intend to do that again.

"The club want to make progress at Step 4 and I'm certainly not coming in with the intention of being in a relegation battle. The aim is to do better than they did last season."

Hayes left his last job at Holbeach at Christmas. He guided the Lincolnshire club to county cup success the previous season when they also finished above Wisbech in the United Counties League Premier Division.

Hayes also led Huntingdon Town to a United Counties League KO Cup and Hinchingbrooke Cup double in the 2013/14 campaign when they finished as Premier Division runners up.

And he was in joint charge of Northern Star when they won the Hinchingbrooke Cup in 2015.

Hayes added: "I feel my record at Step 5 speaks for itself. I've won a trophy at each club I've been at and I have a win ratio of over 50 percent at that level.

"I feel I deserve a crack at Step 4 and I'm determined to grab this opportunity with both hands. I've worked my backside off for it ever since I started my managerial career in Division Two of the Peterborough League 12 years ago.

"I've had a proper break from football for five months since I left Holbeach and I'm ready to return."

Hayes has appointed Kev Ward and Scott Goodwin as joint assistant managers.

Ward was part of the Fenmen managerial set-up when they gained promotion from the UCL in 2017/18, while Goodwin is known to Hayes from when they both coached at Norwich City.

Ward and Goodwin were both at Leicestershire club Oadby Town last season.