AMBITIOUS city rugby side OPMs have appointed Steve Luffman as head coach.
Luffman, 50, takes over from Leigh Puttock, who has been forced to stand down through pressure of work.
The former player’s appointment comes as chairman Mark Turner revealed the club had plans to expand.
OPMs want to lease the pavilion at King George V playing fields they presently hire from Plymouth City Council.
That in turn would allow them to apply for grants for improving their headquarters.
The city club, who finished mid-table in the Cornwall-Devon League last year, are also becoming incorporated, which effectively means they can hold assets and borrow money.
Turner made it clear the club’s plans were in the early stages.
He said: “We might take on a lease of our facilities from Plymouth City Council.
“What we have with the council at the moment is a sort of half-way house, where we have moved containers down there so we can store our (mobile) floodlights
“In the fullness of time, we hope to take on the lease, if it’s right for us.â€
Turner said Luffman was a good choice as head coach.
He said: “We’ve known Steve a long time and he’s put a lot of time and effort into the club. He’s got a lot to offer.
“We finished just sort of mid-table last season, when we started poorly, then got better and better.
“This season, we’ve got to hit the ground running and Steve’s got some ideas about pre-season training which will help us to do that.
“It’s vitally important we get some points on the board early.
“In so many games in the early part of last season, we lost by a single score or less.
“We had some tough games, but it looks as though the game sequence this season will be better for us.â€
Turner said while the club was looking to progress, promotion to Western Counties West was not a set in stone target this season.
He said: “We’ve done what we aimed to do, which was consolidate in the Cornwall-Devon League.
“We’ve got the measure of the league now and we hope to be pushing for promotion, although it’s not the end of the world if we don’t get that.â€
Luffman said he was delighted to take on the club’s head coach role.
It is the first time Luffman has been a head coach in his own right, although he took on a joint role with Lee Webber at Tavistock, having served his apprenticeship with the Western Counties West club as an assistant to former team boss Steve Rush.
Luffman, who was assistant to Puttock with OPMs last season, said: “It’s a big responsibility, but I’m really pleased to be doing the job.â€
Ambitious rugby club OPMs name Steve Luffman new head coach
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