Mark Sansom says it will be a proud moment for him when he leads his boyhood team out as Braintree Town manager at Wrexham tomorrow.

The Braintree Town Academy and former reserve team boss will be taking the reins for the Iron’s Vanarama Conference Premier clash in Wales as caretaker manager following the departure of Alan Devonshire last night.

Devonshire declined the offer of a new contract to stay as manager for a fifth season on Thursday evening, but Sansom said he wanted to finish the job that the West Ham legend had started this year.

He said: “It will certainly be a proud moment for me to get to manage my boyhood club and my home town club.

“It’s an opportunity, but it’s not about me, it’s about finishing what Devs started and doing a good job for him.

“It’s not about my ego.

“It’s about making sure I get the best out of the lads for the two games and seeing if we can get to the 12th position in the league that Devs wanted to get.

“I have spoken to most of the players and they seem to be up for the challenge so hopefully it can be enjoyable within difficult circumstances.

“I think it will be a motivational role rather than a tactical one for me tomorrow.

“I won’t be trying to reinvent the wheel in these two games.

“Alan’s contract doesn’t run out until the end of May and even though he’s not there in body I’ll make sure he’s there in spirit to help achieve what he wanted.

“All I hope is that I don’t let anyone down – the boys, the board and certainly not Alan.

“As proud as I’ll be, there is a winning spirit in me and that’s why I don’t want to let anyone down.

“Together I’m sure we can do that.”

Chairman Lee Harding said he had faith that Sansom, who has been working as a sales and marketing director on the club’s board this year as well as in his role as Academy maanger, would do a good job.

Harding said: “It is a big step, but I have spoken to Mark and he has done ever so well this year in taking up the challenge of the sales and marketing position at the club.

“He is doing well in that role and Mark is a classic example of someone who has volunteered at the club and has enormous bags of enthusiasm for it.

“He was so excited to be the reserve team manager and then Academy manager and he’s done a great job in those roles.

“And I have every confidence that he’ll do a great job in organising the team at the Racecourse ground at Wrexham tomorrow and possibly against Altrincham the following week.

“He is very much a Braintree man and he’ll look after the team well.

“I know it’s a big step from managing in front of a hundred people in the Thurlow Nunn League to three or four thousand at Wrexham but he’ll do a good job.”

The prospect of taking charge at the Racecourse ground may be a big one, but Sansom said he’s looking to enjoy the experience.

He added: “I’ve been in the dug-out with Alan at places like Luton, but what it will be like sitting there tomorrow and standing in front of the boys in the dressing room I don’t know.

“I know it will be a challenge for me, but it’s about learning from it.

“I’m sure there are people out there who would like to see me fail as well as ones who want to see me succeed, but I won’t be putting any pressure on myself.”