NEW Bishops Castle Town player-manager Alex Jones could be without key duo Andrew Green and Dan Dawson next season.

Dawson, who is big friends with Jones, is linking up with Knighton, while former player-manager Green plans to do pre-season training with both Castle and Montgomery.

Jones is following in the footsteps of his dad, Fred, who has previously been in the hot-seat at Castle.

“Dan Dawson is one of my best mates and he’s told me that he’s gone to play for Knighton,” said 24-year-old Jones, a former Norbury player.

“It sounds like Knighton have a new manager but we, too, have a new manager and things will be a bit different.

“I am hoping that Mark Griffiths, who captained the team last season, will help me and I am sure my dad won’t be able to keep away.”

Green, who lives in Bishops Castle, remains undecided over his playing future after standing down from the manager’s role after two seasons.

Green said: “If I stay at Castle, I will help Alex too because I know how hard and demanding the manager’s role is.

“I am doing pre-season training with Montgomery and I will also do pre-season training with Bishops Castle.

“Lee Jones is the new manager of Montgomery, who was the captain when I was at the club, and he wants me to sign for them. Gaz Bromley, who had a spell with Castle, also plays there and Lee wants to reunite our attacking partnership.”

Castle finished fifth in the Mercian League Division One last term.

The club got to the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup and the final of the Mercian League Division One Cup.

They also won the Newcastle Cup and the Bishops Castle Cup.

Alex Jones has been a player at Bishops Castle for eight years and has previously played for Clun and Ludlow Under-18s.

“When we had the annual general meeting, Andrew Green confirmed he was standing down as the manager but no one came forward,” said Jones.

“We then had an emergency general meeting and there were genuine fears that more than 100 years of football in the town could disappear.

“I live in Castle and have been brought up in the town and I stepped in to manage the side because I did not want to see the club disappear.”

Pre-season training starts on Tuesday, July 8 at 6.30pm, with Castle’s first pre-season friendly at Forden on July 11, starting at 6.30pm.

The club were not able to find a secretary and members of the club’s committee have decided to share the duties.