Canterbury City manager Dan Lawrence to step down after club accepts voluntary relegation from the Southern Counties East Football League First Division

CANTERBURY CITY manager Dan Lawrence says he will be stepping down from the role at the end of the season.

The club announced on Sunday that they are accepting voluntary relegation from the Southern Counties East Football League First Division this month and not taking part in the play-offs should they finish in the top five.

The club were unable to find a ground to play at next season after landlords Margate agreed a two-year groundshare deal with Kent County League Premier Division side Minster.

Canterbury City put out a last-ditch appeal over social media on Saturday and couldn’t agree a groundshare deal in time of the 31 March deadline.

The homeless club are in third-place in the tenth-tier of English football, having picked up 53 points (15 wins, eight draws and seven defeats) and have found a venue to play at in the City next season.

The club will be applying to play in the Kent County League Premier Division next season and Lawrence has made his decision to leave the club once their games against Lewisham Borough, FC Elmstead, Faversham Strike Force and Croydon are completed.

“Firstly, I would like to take this opportunity, first hand, to thank the clubs that came forward to offer us the potential of playing our games of football at their ground next year,” said Lawrence in a statement posted yesterday.

“I saw first-hand the support that this county has to offer in non-league football and goes to show why we all love this game so much.

“The call went out on Saturday and by the evening we had three offers from clubs willing to home us.  One such offer even included rent free groundshare and a chance to stabilise and re-group.

“Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be and I’m sure the club will be able to explain why but the decision was made that we would no longer be able to play our football at Step Six level.

“To my staff and players, I cannot thank you enough. I asked you to trust me and sold you the vision of where I wanted us to be.  You played your part and then some.

“You have us in a position to achieve our goals that we set out.  You have shown me and the club tremendous loyalty over the season and turned down silly money to stay with us and for that I will be forever grateful.

“I am sorry that we didn’t have the chance to finish this but all I can say is thank you.

“Lastly, after a crazy couple of days and much thought, I have taken the decision to step down as manager of Canterbury City at the end of the season.

“This group has a huge amount of integrity and loyalty and will continue to push to finish as high as we can in the league this season.  We owe the rest of the teams in the league that, in what has been a tremendous battle all year.

“I have an incredibly talented group of players that need to be playing higher and I owe it to them to try and help them achieve that, so, whilst I await my new venture in management my plan is to get these boys to the level that they need to be at.”

Visit Canterbury City’s website:  www.canterburycityfc.co.uk