RHUDDLAN Town made the right move by appointing Keiran Evans as their new manager.

The club dropped a bombshell last week by announcing that boss Wayne Hughes was stepping down due to increasing work commitments, which is something he has been hinting at for some time with little in the way of meaningful football activity over the last year.

If there was ever a time to walk away, it is now. Current COVID-19 health concerns mean it is going to be extremely difficult for any league the Football Association of Wales class as “recreational” to get going this season, so Evans will now get a considerable period of time to adjust with more responsibility on his shoulders.

This is something he appears more than ready for. Evans has led by example on the pitch in his role as club captain and also played a leading role from a coaching perspective during one year off the pitch due to injury.

Hughes will still be involved with plans to progress the club behind the scenes, but Evans already knows the set-up inside out and this should ensure he’s able to hit the ground running once competitive action is able to resume when restrictions are lifted.

Upheaval during such an unprecedented period of disruption could have done more harm than good to Rhuddlan, who have gone from strength-to-strength since reforming, returning to Pengwern College as their permanent home and winning the Vale of Clwyd and Conwy League Premier Division title to secure promotion last time around.

Appointing Evans – and quickly – will ensure everything continues relatively on schedule and members of the squad can go into their training sessions when it is safe to do so with a strong sense of familiarity.

Things will not be easy in what looks to be an ultra-competitive NWCFA Tier 4 (East) Premier Division, which is part of the FAW’s new structure that took some exceptional work behind the scenes from all clubs to make the necessary improvements to meet the criteria.

Evans was the right appointment and although Hughes’ influence in the dugout will be sorely missed, he simply cares too much about the club to not make the same sort of impact away from the playing side.