BOTH on and off the pitch, Neil Reynolds likes what he sees at Warrington Rylands.

And having taken up his post as the club’s new manager last week, he says he was drawn in by the “passion and drive” of those who run the place, making him want to help them on their journey.

Having been at previous club FC United for six years until parting company with them last month – ironically, his last game in charge was a 1-1 draw with his future employers – Rylands will be hoping he brings the same kind of longevity to Gorsey Lane.

It is certainly much-needed – since their promotion to the Northern Premier League’s top flight in 2022, six men have been in the manager’s hot seat, either permanently or otherwise.

In that respect, can Reynolds be lucky number seven?

That will become clearer in time, but what can be said for certain is that the new boss has been enthused by what he has inherited since officially taking up his post on Thursday.

“From meeting Andy (Hibbert, director) and Mark (Pye, chairman) and people connected to the club, it just drew me,” he told the Guardian.

“I walked through the gate on that Monday night and felt a passion and a real drive that I wanted to be part of.

“This club has had tremendous success over the past few years and I wanted to help them achieve their next steps.

“What they’ll get from me is everything and more, but it’s more about what goes on here.

“We could have 1,500 people in here or 200, but the noise, reception and gratitude we’ve got coming off the pitch in both games means everything to me.

“We could win, lose or draw but if everyone knows we’re going to leave everything on the pitch, you can accept that and as a manager, I’m delighted with the early impressions I’ve got of the group.”

Now, the focus turns to slowly imprinting his ideas on a squad that he insists does not need major surgery despite finding them at the foot of the NPL Premier Division table.

However, two of the immediate signings he was able to make – full-back Cole Lonsdale and striker Leslie Adekoya – made an instant impact in his first league game in charge against Mickleover on Tuesday night, with both netting as Blues came from 2-0 down to claim a 2-2 draw.

More signings are believed to be in the pipeline but as attention turns to the FA Trophy and a third qualifying round trip to Stocksbridge Park Steels on Saturday, he believes he already has a solid foundation in place.

“We’re going to get in on Thursday, then it’s Stocksbridge and if there’s a deciding result either way in that game, we’ll get two training sessions the next week,” said Reynolds, who had also taken charge of Saturday's FA Cup defeat to higher-ranked Scarborough Athletic.

“The lads want to be here, to train and to get better and I’m going to help them do that, individually and collectively.

“There’s a dressing room that’s desperate to do well for themselves and the football club and when you’ve got that, it’s a really good barometer to work from.

“I always want three points, but if we’re not going to get them we have to make sure we don’t lose.

“We’ve got a draw against a really good Mickleover side and it gives us something to build on.

“We started bottom of the league and we’re now next to bottom with a couple of games in hand, but that doesn’t mean anything if we’re not going to keep bringing what we brought on Tuesday.

“I’ll insist that bringing that is a minimum.”