AFC St Austell are ready for a return to league football – eight months after being thrown out of the Western League with the very future of the club in serious doubt.

The Lillywhites are back in the South West Peninsula League Premier West division and open their season with a trip to Holsworthy on Saturday (3pm).

They have a new management structure in place, Chris Knight returning alongside popular player Olly Brokenshire as joint managers and a whole new team, although many are familiar faces.

Recruits include former captain Neil Slateford and former Falmouth Town striker Rubin Wilson, both who have answered their local team in their hour of need.

The close season is almost over but Knight said: “It’s been an absolute whirlwind to be honest. Olly and I had both stepped away from the club and I’ll be honest I was more than happy with that.

“But when the club you have been associated with for over 20 years is a week away from going out of existence, I think anyone in our position would have done the same, so here we are back on the rollercoaster!”

Of the recruitment process, Knight said: “Building a completely new team is something I’ve done before, but it doesn’t get any easier. What’s nice is we have a number of lads who trust Olly and I, so we’ve been able to call on them to help the club out. We’ve also attracted some new lads who believe in what we are trying to do, so that’s been rewarding in itself.”

Knight said Slateford and Wilson were the most significant signings, adding: “Wanting to drop down a league to help their home town club is something neither Olly or I expected to be honest, so we’re delighted they have.

“I hate pre-season, I’m sure every manager will tell you the same – ringing players for hours, being let down, trying to get things over the line, it’s a real bind. But it’s a necessary evil and we’ve had some good results, so that’s a plus.”

Knight and Brokenshire aren’t setting any targets for this season – at least publicly – but Knight said: “The ambition genuinely is to make sure the club is here in 30 years’ time, that has taken up all of our time so far. The football, whilst being important, has been secondary to that.

“We’ve had an absolute mountain to climb, but with the help of Cornwall College and the amazing volunteers that have come forward, we’re getting there.”

The Lillywhites were due to make their return to a refurbished Poltair next Wednesday against Penzance, but the fixture has been reversed to allow more time for last minute work.

Knight said: “We are working all day, every day on the return to Poltair. I can’t even describe what a difficult process it’s been - and nd continues to be. We are all very busy in our everyday lives, but this has been all we have done for months now. We are moving heaven and earth to get it all sorted, we are nearly there.”

All being well, the first league game at Poltair will be on Saturday August 29 against Dobwalls.

Signings include Morgan Coxhead, Martyn Duff, Kieron Bishop, Kyle Marks, Tom Whipp, Noah Teagle, Rhys Hooper and Lewis Rendle, as well as Slateford and Wilson.