I guess everyone will have us as odds on to go down now, but I know I will not give up and keep fighting for every point, says caretaker Erith & Belvedere boss Jamie Leggett

ERITH & BELVEDERE caretaker manager Jamie Leggett says some players’ have let down John Wilfort and Paul Springett, who both quit the club last night.

The club are struggling in the bottom three in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table with a playing record of five wins, five draws and 17 defeats in the league and have lost their last five games and going by their current form are rated favourites to suffer relegation at the end of the season with only 11 league games left to play.

They are one point above Beckenham Town, who have secured back-to-back victories over Rochester United and Lordswood, and two points clear of bottom-of-the-table side Fisher.

Wilfort and his assistant manager Springett both quit the Deres last night and coach Jamie Leggett takes charge of tomorrow’s home game against Corinthian.

It will be Leggett’s first managerial job in senior non-league football, although the Eltham based 31-year-old coaches Bromley’s youth sides,  and is the current manager of the national Scotland mini-football team.

Starting his playing career in the youth ranks at Bromley, Leggett has recently been a part of the coaching staff at Bexley Borough, Eltham Palace, Erith Town and Tunbridge Wells before joining Erith & Belvedere.

He takes his preparation for games seriously and watches numerous matches.  He watched tomorrow’s opponents Corinthian at Sevenoaks Town, which resulted in a 1-0 win for Michael Golding’s side on 15 February and on Wednesday night watched Bridon Ropes’ goal-less draw at home to Glebe in Division One.

“I am very sorry to see John and Geordie go,” said Leggett. 

“I understand their reasons and like to thank them for bringing me into the club and I have learnt a lot from them while being with them at the club. 

“They are both top guys, always giving everyone a chance.  I thank them both for everything that they have done for me.

“Wilfs and Geordie only left last night, so I have had a chat with the chairman (John McFadden) last night and he has asked me to take over manager duties for Saturday, which I have agreed to do and then after the game Saturday we will chat again and see where we go from there.

“I have been around some very good football managers like Wilfs and Geordie with all different styles and learnt a lot but for how long I am manager I hope to put my own stamp on it and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Corinthian arrive at Park View Road sitting in tenth-place in the table with a record of 10 wins, five draws and 10 defeats in the league.

“Well after Wilfs and Geordie resigning last night we are even more of an underdog to take anything from this game but as you know if I’m going to do a job, I do it 100%,” said Leggett.

“I have watched Corinthian a couple of times of late and they are a very impressive side that play good football and are set-up very well and are hard to beat.

“They have some very good players and have a good management team but we have very good players as well, even if results have not shown this and I will have us prepared the best I can for tomorrow’s game.

“Well, I guess everyone will have us as odds on to go down now, but I know I will not give up and keep fighting for every point and if some players’ do not show that they are up for the fight then they can leave because the only way we are going to get out of this is to fight for each other as a group and get points from games, it’s as simple as that!

“I hope that starts tomorrow and know it is an old saying, but it’s one game at a time now, fighting for every minute.”

Leggett hopes his players’ show some heart and desire to get the former Southern League club up the league table because relegation would spell disaster.

He said: “I have spoken to some of the players but I will speak to them all before naming the squad tomorrow at some point.

“I am so sad to see Geordie and Wilfs go and I feel some players’ have let them down a lot when they gave them a chance and I am very sorry to see them go but I know they will be back in football soon and will achieve a lot in the game so I thank them so much for everything.”

Visit Erith & Belvedere’s website: www.erithbelvederefc.co.uk

Erith & Belvedere  v  Corinthian
Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division
Saturday 4^th March 2017
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Park View Road, Welling, Kent DA16 1SY