Lloyd Blackman will draw on his experience of working for three football greats when he takes his first session as Hythe Town player-coach on Thursday.

Striker Blackman, 28, learned his trade as a young pro under Steve Coppell at Brentford and was later signed by Welsh legends Terry Yorath and Neville Southall at Margate.

He said: "I’ve been really fortunate to have worked with those guys – I learned a lot from them.

"Their professionalism shone through and you couldn’t fail to take on board what they said.

"The big thing with Steve was his attention to detail and the way he structured sessions so players would see the benefits on a Saturday.

"It was the same with Terry and Nev. I was a bit in awe of them to start with but they were such down-to-earth guys and had so much experience and knowledge."

Hythe boss Scott Porter praised Blackman’s passion and football brain after handing him his first job in coaching last week.

And Town’s new coach – who still plans to push for a place in the side – is determined to repay the manager’s faith.

Blackman (pictured) said: "I’ve been looking to get into coaching and this is a fantastic opportunity for me.

"I’ve picked up a lot over the years and I also have my own ideas that I’m looking forward to putting across.

"Teams know what we’re about now, so we need to improve by 10% in all areas.

"I have responsibilites as a coach but I’ll be fighting for a place in the team."

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