ALLOA boss Jim Goodwin has 21 pre-seasons under his belt, but this summer he was faced with something entirely new.

With the break now gone, the gaffer has this week kickstarted his first full campaign as the manager of a football team.

And it's been a long-time coming for the popular Irishman, who always knew he wanted to take the reigns.

He came to Alloa in search of coaching experience, having joined as understudy to Jack Ross.

But after just a few months at the club, the opportunity came knocking, and at that moment in time, there was no telling Goodwin that it wasn't yet his time to lead.

He told Advertiser Sport: "My opinion at that time was that I didn't think we needed any outside influence coming in. The dressing room was great.

"Myself and Jack have got similar ideas as to how the game should be played, and how teams should train, and I think we're pretty similar in terms of personality as well.

"I didn't want someone coming in from outside who was going to change the whole dynamic of what was going on around the club. To be honest, that was basically what I sold to the chairman in my interview."

He added: "The situation does change a bit because you have to go from being a team-mate to being the one picking the team, leaving people out and having to disappoint people in the space of a couple of weeks.

"That was the hardest part for me. Knowing how hard they work and how good a bunch of boys they are, to then have to tell half a dozen they won't be playing is not easy. But you never take a decision like that lightly.

"I always appreciated as a player when a manager gave me his reasons for leaving me out, and that's what I've tried to do with the boys here. I always try to be honest and I think they appreciate that."

Prior to his departure from St Mirren, where his performances over a five-year period ensured he was adored by the Buddies' faithful, he spent time working as a player-coach during Tommy Craig's tenure.

And Goodwin revealed that Craig was a key influence in his transition from player to manager.

He said: "My role at St Mirren was very much as a player-coach, and I didn't really have much influence over team selection or strategy.

"But at the same time, I was involved in taking sessions with the players and it was a great learning experience for me.

"I was working under one of the best coaches I've ever played under, Tommy Craig, and I had a lot of respect for him. I learned a lot from him during the few years we spent together at St Mirren, and it was an honour to have him choose me and think I was capable of taking that role on.

"But being a manager is so different to being a number two because you're in charge of absolutely everything. I absolutely love it though. I would go as far as saying I enjoy this side of it more than the playing side.

"I always wanted to be a manager. I enjoy the planning and the preparation side of things, I enjoy putting on training sessions that the players get something from, and I really enjoy Saturday afternoons, where you are always trying to stay one step ahead of the opposing manager."

Having taken his place in the Indodrill Stadium dugout, Goodwin won his first game in charge against Brechin, but that was followed by a slump which saw the Wasps fall behind Livingston in the League One title race.

But the ex-Celtic and Scunthorpe man says he was delighted when his players bounced back from that poor spell, going onto enjoy their best period of the season between Christmas and Easter.

"I always wanted to be a manager...I would go as far as saying I enjoy this side of it more than the playing side."

After experiencing a season of highs and lows, Goodwin struggled to pick out one particular highlight, but praised his squad and backroom staff, hailing their good season as a team effort.

He said: "There are games we should have lost, but the boys have shown great character and desire to get back in the game and go on to get a win or a draw.

"They are extremely satisfying moments. It was nice to pick up the Manager of the Month award as well, but I said at the time and I'll say again that I would rather they change the name of it to 'Team of the Month'.

"It really is a collective effort, and no manager can take sole responsibility for the team's performances. Other people contribute so much too, not just the players but also the backroom staff. I did share the award with them. It did show that we were doing something right as a group.

"I'm sure I don't need to tell anyone what the low point was. We were always confident, even after the first leg, that we'd be able to get ourselves back into the tie, and in the second leg we did that.

"To score four goals at home and still not go up is quite incredible.

"Things happen for a reason and we have to pick ourselves up and go again. It might be a blessing in disguise, because it might make us even better this year. I know for sure that the lads who have stayed are more determined to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Alloa's players returned for pre-season training last Thursday, just three weeks after their heartbreaking playoff final defeat.

And although it is Goodwin's first pre-season as a manager, he is confident of getting his preparations right and revealed he is determined to use anything he can to give his side an advantage.

He said: "I think this is my 21st pre-season so I've got enough experience under my belt to know what players need from it.

"I'm very much of the mindset that you need to keep moving with the times, and if there's something out there that will give us an edge, whether that's sports science or something else, I do try to buy into it."