MALVERN Town are proposing to move to a new ground after being given the go-ahead to pursue the sale of their current Langland Stadium.

The ambitious West Midlands League Premier Division outfit have agreed a three-year contract with Barratts West Midlands to sell their ground and move to a new state-of-the-art facility in the town.

The club still has to find a suitable site in the town for a new ground.

But the deal has been welcomed by the club's general manager Richard Anson who said: "We see this as a major opportunity for the club and the local community and is something we need to do as we are outgrowing our existing site.

"We cater for football right across the age spectrum with up to 300 players, 90 per cent of whom are under 18.

"The small sided soccer on Saturday morning is hugely successful, but the Langland Stadium site, which has only one pitch and limited training areas cannot cope with this demand.

"Also, there are not adequate football facilities available elsewhere in Malvern to accommodate what is an increasing demand.

"We certainly see the new site having two full size pitches and training areas that will cope with small sided soccer and more."

"We will look to build the new ground to Southern League Western Division standards which now becomes the immediate goal for the first team.

"We think this an achievable ambition, but you will not hear of any five year Football Conference plans and Premiership in nine years from us! We are ambitious, but we are a small club so we have to be realistic."

Anson has already started a restructuring programme which is the first of a number of changes which will gradually be rolled out over the next few months.

Meanwhile, ex-Cheltenham Town player Neil Hunt has joined the club as a coach and will work with first team manager Joey Rawle.

Hunt has helped guide Littleton to three Worcester League Premier Division titles and to second place in this season's Midland Combination Division Three.

Anson said: "I have known Neil for a while now and he is young and ambitious and fits the profile of the type of coach we are looking for.

"I see Neil and Joe working well together and they have an ideal period now to begin planning for next season."

Other changes see reserve team boss Chris Baker join the first team management structure to become chief scout, while under 18 boss Paul Pallett moves up to manage the reserves together with Dave Oakley.