PORTHLEVEN AFC icon Nigel Thwaites has agreed to join the club's management team for next season.

The former Port player, who also represented RNAS Culdrose, Helston Athletic, Falmouth Town, Bodmin Town and Penzance during his Cornish football career, will join the current managerial pair of Graham Blake and Jamie Thomson, who were co-managers last season.

The move for Thwaites, who finished his playing career at Helston in 2011, comes about after Thomson stepped away from the co-manager position in favour of a player-head coach role, with Thwaites coming in to assist Blake, who retains his role as manager.

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The appointment marks a return to Cornish football for Thwaites, who had spent some time out of the game.

Blake, who, like Thomson, is a former team-mate of Thwaites, said: "We had a meeting with him last week and we didn't know if he would want to do it or not, but we're absolutely over the moon that he said yes to it.

"It has raised a few eyebrows and I think it's quite a good bit of publicity for Porthleven having him on board."

He added: "I'm very good at motivating players. I can see some things on the pitch but what he brings is that experience and know-how at this level. He's played at a top level as a player and was involved in the South Western League for some time.

"He's going to see things that I can't sometimes on the pitch, little tweaks here and there, and also he's got the respect of all of Porthleven and players around the county."