Jamie Godbold is hoping AFC Sudbury fans can become the club’s ‘12th man’ as he begins his managerial career at the west Suffolk club, with a home clash against Maldon & Tiptree this afternoon.

Used to playing at AFC Sudbury for Lowestoft Town, Godbold has been on the receiving end of the passionate Sudbury crowd on more than one occasion.

He knows what they can bring to the party.

“I’ve played at Sudbury on plenty of occasions when I was at Lowestoft,” he said.

“They can be very noisy and very vocal and can give the team a lift when they might need it.

“I know it’s a bit of a cliche but they can be our 12th man and that would be fantastic.”

Godbold and assistant Andy Reynolds have endured what Godbold described as a ‘long week’, since their announcement as the club’s new management duo last weekend.

A postponed League Cup clash at Witham on Tuesday night didn’t help matters, but now he has had the chance to meet the players, Godbold is looking ahead to today’s match – and the future.

“It was good to meet the players on Thursday night and have a full training session,” he said.

“By definition, both me, Andy and Danny Laws are all coaches, developers of players and that is what we want to do.

“There won’t be many changes to begin with as we want to let the team settle into how we go about things.

“It’s a case of just carrying on where they left off with the last manager, David Batch.”

Godbold takes over an AFC Sudbury side who are in a good position in Ryman North.

Currently sitting in the final play-off place, they have a good chance to pick up more points today against a Maldon & Tiptree side who have been inconsistent so far this campaign.

“Of course the play-offs are what we have got to aim for,” Godbold added.

“Much will depend on how quickly the players respond to the new management team.”

Four of Sudbury’s next five League games are all at the Wardale Williams Stadium, starting with today’s visitors Maldon & Tiptree.

The Essex side have had a topsy-turvy first half of the season, actually going through all of September and October winning just one League game – losing nine!

However, Alan Kimble’s side recorded a morale-boosting victory over Cray Wanderers last week and are undefeated in four.