Paul Morris was never going to be prevented from doing his job as director of rugby at Cinderford by the small matter of a fractured ankle.

Morris sustained the injury at the beginning of March when he fell down a flight of steps but despite several visits to the hospital did not miss a training session or game while recovering from the injury.

It is that sort of commitment that Morris demands from his players – and will demand next season as the curtain comes down on the current campaign.

Morris is contracted to the club until the end of the 2018/19 season having taken temporary charge in November 2015.

He assumed full-time responsibility early last year and he is pleased that he’s been given time to reshape the club after last season’s relegation from National League One.

“The club needs stability,” he said. “We’d had three different regimes in three years and the club was in a bit of a mess. All the changes were not good for the players and not good for the club.”

Morris was running the club’s United side when the top job became vacant 18 months ago.

“I don’t think the club had a plan at that stage and I was almost the last man standing,” he said. “It’s a tough job but not one that intimidates me. It can be difficult telling players they are not playing or where they stand in the pecking order but that’s my job.

“On the positive side I like working for the club, I like the staff and I like the players.”

Cinderford made an uncertain start to life back into National League Two South, winning only four of their first 10 games, but have improved significantly since November.

“The club have had a really tough three or four years,” explained Morris. “We’d get to Easter and we’d always be battling to stay in National League One. One year it went to the very last game and it was draining for everyone.

“What I would say is that we were never a bad side. If you win 10 games in National League One you are not a bad team – you are beating some very good sides. The trouble is that 10 wins is not enough to keep you in the division.”

Once relegation was confirmed the planning for this season and beyond began and it involved a major player overhaul.

“To compete in this division you’ve got to have players who are young enough and committed,” said Morris. “I put my faith in young players and added some good players as well. Only two players who started our first game of the season played in the final game of the previous season.”

While promotion is not going to happen this season, it is definitely on the club’s radar over the next couple of years.

“If we get out of this division, it’s because we will be promoted,” said Morris. “We’re not going to get relegated from National Two South.

“But to win promotion you’ve got to set the right standards. We used to get players being picked even if they hadn’t turned up for training just because they are good players. I want all the players to train every Tuesday and Thursday. They are semi-professional and that is what I expect.

“We are capable of becoming a champion side but our culture isn’t quite right yet. Individually, we’ve got some very, very good players but collectively there is still a lot of work to do.”

Cinderford have been captained this season by prop George Porter, who joined the club from Ealing in the closed season. He was captain of Gloucestershire under-20s and played alongside Gloucester star Ben Morgan when they won the county championship in 2009, a team coached by Morris.

“He’s been an unqualified success,” said Morris of the Matson-born player. “He’s a natural leader and has quite often been our best player as well.”

Other youngsters who have made a big impact on the club include Henry Walker, Ciaran Knight, Joe Mullis, Alex Seville, Will Haly, Jack Shields, Harry Robinson, Aaron Ryan and Dale Lemon.

“The younger ones have kind of taken over the club,” said Morris. “They’ve set the standards in terms of energy, discipline, passion and commitment.”