Thursday 11 October 2012 11:49, UK
Neal Ardley admits he is living the dream after taking over at AFC Wimbledon, but insists his appointment is not just a "romantic" move.
Former Wimbledon defender Ardley, 40, has landed his first managerial role at Kingsmeadow after replacing Terry Brown, who was fired last month. "I have always dreamed of being a manager and I always hoped that one day I would get the chance to be a manager," he said. "From that point of view, I will be living the dream on Saturday and it is great that I am doing that at a club close to my heart. "I was born about 20 minutes away from here and I spent most of my career at Wimbledon so it is great for me. But I want this to be more than just a romantic thing, I want to be successful and to take this club forward. "The only thing that is going to matter is results and we have to work hard as a team to get them. Hopefully, that will get people on board and there will be a good feel about the place."