With Border hockey stalwart Matt Smart assuming the mantle as president, the club has dropped Titans from its name and appointed former player Clinton Gilson to lead the A-grade side.

Barry McDonald, father of Australian Test cricketer Andrew, has also agreed to assist with coaching on a casual basis.

Gilson, who has spent the last two seasons opening the batting for Kinross in the Hume- Rutherglen league, is looking forward to the challenge of reviving the club’s fortunes.

“It’s probably the toughest cricket gig going around at the moment, but if we can pull it off it will be fantastic,” Gilson said.

The club’s future appeared bleak at the end of the last season after the acrimonious departure of captain-coach Steve McLennan, along with dwindling player numbers, and rumoured financial problems and Smart believes the foundations have been set for a successful season.

The Titans narrowly avoided relegation to the District competition last year but Albury has retained the services of the majority of its senior playing list, including gun batsmen Luke Restall and Dan Markham.

It also expects paceman Wayne Hawking, who missed most of last season with a back injury, to remain at the club provided his injury allows him to continue.

And in a financial coup for Albury, the Astor Hotel has agreed to continue its sponsorship of the club for at least another season.

“We wanted to start early, get some structure back into the club, get it financial and we’ve done that,” Smart said.