DUNCAN Bell has indicated that he would like to remain as Lydney head coach beyond this season.
The former England prop (left) began his coaching career last July at Regentsholme after retiring from playing following 17 years at the likes of Bath and Pontypridd.
The Severnsiders were always going to be fighting to stay in National Two South following brushes with relegation in the past few seasons.
But since arriving in the Forest of Dean, Bell's side have produced glimpses of a team worthy of a higher position in the fourth tier of English rugby.
Lydney have shown what they are capable of by running all three top teams close and Bell said he would like to make the team even stronger.
He said: "I want to coach and I really enjoy it at Lydney and it's something I want to continue with, but it's not up to me, it's up to the committee and the powers that be.
"I can't speak for the committee but we want to stay up and that's the priority.
"I want to keep the team up and go as far as I can and take them up all the way if I can.
"It sounds cheesy but you've got to aim for the stars to hit the moon.
"I'm a competitive person and I don't want to be battling at the basement.
"I don't want to be staying in the same league, I want to be winning things and winning every game we play in and if we do that then we will go up a league.
"I hope I'll stay at the club and I'd love to remain as Lydney head coach as long as they still want me."
Lydney were short of personnel for the start of this season with a number of players deciding to leave the club before Bell arrived.
With Bell joining the Forest of Dean outfit so late in the summer, it meant he missed most of the pre-season campaign, making his job of getting everyone up to speed harder.
But if the club were to keep him on again next season, then Bell said the squad would benefit hugely from a whole summer together.
He said:"If they do have a little bit of stability then hopefully that will encourage more players to join the club and we can build for the future.
"Hopefully I can use some of my contacts at Bath because I came in too late in the year and missed all the academy players being allocated out which meant they were allocated elsewhere and I missed them all.
"Hopefully if I am involved from the get-go next season then I can get working in the off-season and get some players in."
