Former Bristol Rovers manager Darrell Clarke has spoken for the first time after being named Walsall manager and wasted no time in aiming a lighthearted jibe at his former club.
Clarke was presented to the media at the Bescot Stadium on Tuesday having put pen to paper on a three-year deal at the newly-relegated League Two side last week.
Speaking to the BBC in an interview steamed live on Facebook, Clarke said he was relishing the challenge of the rebuild and hoped to emulate the close relationship he had with Bristol Rovers fans.
He also aimed a tongue-in-cheek jibe at the Rovers facilities as he explained why he had accepted the job.
"When I was first at Bristol Rovers I think we were averaging 5,500 [attendance] in League Two and then in the Conference winning football seven to seven and a half thousand I think the average turned into and the fan base kept building," he said.
"I'm pretty open, supporters can come and talk to me. I'll explain the decisions that I make in best.
Bolton Wanderers to start 2019/20 League One season with major points deduction
"You're welcome to come and see me at the training ground, I had the same rapport with the Rovers fans. I'm happy to do fans forums.
"The supporters are the heartbeat of the club, they're the ones that pay their hard-earned money to come and watch football and me as a manager I like to come across as honest and I'm sure the Bristol Rovers fans appreciated that."
When asked what had attracted him to the role, Clarke said: "I've had conversations with John Ward and Dean Smith as well and everyone's spoken highly of the people at the football club.
"The training facilities were a great pull for me to be honest because at Rovers I was used to one pitch [laughs].
Graham Coughlan begins backroom shake-up as Bristol Rovers development squad coach departs
"It's great to be working on good facilities and we want to be producing our own players over the short-term and the long-term and we want to be producing players that are entertaining to watch."
Clarke revealed he had not been charged by the board with returning immediately to League One.
He added: "There's a lot of negativity at the minute, as there is at every club that's been relegated.
"It's a challenge I want to get my teeth into, it's going to be tough. It's a hell of a rebuild.
"I wouldn't have took it if it wasn't for the long haul and I'm under no illusions to understand how tough this job is going to be.
"We want to get promoted, I want to get promoted every year and that will never, ever change."
