PAUL Lynch has been unveiled as Rossendale United's new man at the helm.

The former Colne manager has taken over from Jim McBride at Dark Lane, following his sacking on Saturday.

And Lynch, who spent three years at Rossendale and captained them to the North West Counties Division One title, revealed he was relishing the challenge.

"It's a dream come true in some respects because I was a player there for three years, I was captain when we won the North West Counties championship," said Lynch, whose assistant manager will be Steve Bird.

"I have a lot of good memories of Rossendale because it was a ground where I was so successful, there are a lot of nice people up there and I know the board of directors very well."

But while he has yet to decide on which areas need strengthening following Dale's mixed start to the campaign, Lynch said he had already set his sights on a top ten finish.

"I've only seen Rossendale twice this season so it would be wrong of me to speculate on certain players or areas which need strengthen - not until I get my teeth into it," he said.

"I've been told that if we finish in the top 14 then we will go into the UniBond Premier Division next season.

"But my aim is to finish as high as we can and I want to get them into the top ten."

Meanwhile, Rossendale chairman Steve Draper revealed that McBride was not sacked because of poor crowd attendances.

"The crowds were mentioned but that was not used as the reason why he was sacked," he said.

"He was backed all the way to sign whoever he wanted.

"He wanted a free reign, but we didn't feel the level of performance was acceptable for the money we were paying out.

"From the board's perspective, to say we've been waiting for the opportunity to sack him is wrong.

"He was 100 per cent committed to Rossendale United. I've never known a bloke work harder to get players in and try to make things happen. But the football that was coming out wasn't acceptable."

Caretaker manager and former Manchester City and England player David White, who will assist Lynch in the short term, took charge of last night's 2-1 defeat at Kendal, although Lynch travelled in preparation for Saturday's trip to Stocksbridge Park Steels.

After bossing the first half and taking the lead on 14 minutes after Doni Clarke set up Russ Brierley to curl the ball into the corner, Rossendale's hard work was undone after the break.

Dave Foster's spectacular overhead kick found its way into the top corner for Kendal's equaliser and Stuart Cliff put the home side in front two minutes later.

Once Dale had recovered they resumed control of the game and Brierley should have equalised but hit the keeper with his shot.