Paul Cook is determined to bring a new successful era to Accrington Stanley.

The 44-year-old signed a two- and-a-half year deal with the Reds this week and takes charge of his first game at home to Plymouth tomorrow with the ninth-placed Reds sitting just three points outside the League Two play-off zone.

After five successful years with Irish side Sligo, the former Wolves, Burnley and Stanley midfielder is excited about kicking off his English managerial career with Leam Richardson as his assistant.

And he hopes to continue the upward trend of John Coleman and Jimmy Bell who led the Reds to three promotions and into the Football League before they joined Rochdale in January.

Cook said: "I do have great confidence in myself as a manager but only results will prove that. Over time I will need help from everyone – players, staff and the Accrington fans.

"John and Jimmy are my friends and they have done amazingly well for this club but we need to draw a line under that – although they will be the most welcome people at the club whenever they come back – but we need to move forward now.

"It’s important for Leam and I that we put our stamp on what we do.

"It doesn’t matter what club you are at, you can never be happy with what you did yesterday and you have got to look forward to tomorrow.

"I just want to look to the future and give this club everything I have got and keep building on what we have done in the past.

"It’s a great club and has a lot of potential but I am not one to set targets. Football is all about the next game and winning that."

The matches will certainly come thick and fast for new boss Cook with the struggling Pilgrims first up, followed by a trip to Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday.

And he is looking forward to working with Richardson, who was the interim manager for the last two games with one win and one loss.

"I am great believer in people around you having a say," continued Cook. "Even if you are the best manager in the world, you can’t know everything and you need your staff.

"Leam is a young man, he is knowledgable about football, has great enthusiasm and he knows the club so you would like to think there is every chance we could be a great success.

"But we will have lows too. Defeats are around the corner, hardships aren’t far away but you have got to stay focused on what you want and if you stay focused and stay together then you have a chance of doing well.

"Every day is a learning day.¿I have great respect for John and Jimmy and what they have done for the club but we need to move forward now and believe we can improve."

Cook admits he will have butterflies tomorrow for his first game as an English football manager.

"It will be great day. You keep having these days in football.

"For me it was a great day when I was manager for the first time, when you finish your career, when you get promotions.

"I have been very lucky. I have had a lot more ups than downs in football and if I can have another up at Accrington then I think it will lead to great times for us all. I have a great affection for the town and looking forward to the challenge.

"We want to get everyone in the town involved with the club."

Cook’s first job was to extend the loan of Everton defender Toto Nsiala while also being on the hunt to add a couple of loan players to a threadbare squad ahead of tomorrow’s clash.

Both Sean Hessey (hamstring) and Ian Craney (ankle) are out with Padraig Amond recovering after a facial injury in Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat at Rotherham.

Meanwhile Richardson, after one win and one defeat in his two games in charge, has said the Reds will bounce back from the loss at Rotherham – only their second defeat in 14 games in League Two.

"We had a chat about it after the game with the players and Paul," said Richardson.

"We all had the same views and we will analyse the game and whatever mistakes we make we won't make them again. We will be better for it.

"We are coming into a few months with a lot of games and a number of teams in and around us and we have a squad with quality.

"We need to add a couple but we don’t fear anyone in this league.

"You get one or two games like the Rotherham one in a season but we will win more than we will lose."