The door opens for someone to step in and take it to the next level, says Micky Collins

Thursday 23rd May 2013

MICKY COLLINS says budgetary concerns was the reason behind his shock decision to quit as Erith & Belvedere’s manager – only 12 days after guiding the club to the Kent League double.

The Deres secured the double with a 4-1 win over Corinthian at Park View Road to land the Macron Kent League Cup – after they won promotion as champions along with runners-up VCD Athletic on 30 April.

Both clubs will be playing Ryman League Division One North football next season – but Erith & Belvedere’s new website brought the shock news that Hadlow-based Collins had parted company with the club within minutes of the new website going live.

“We can now confirm Micky Collins has stepped down as manager of Erith & Belvedere Football Club,” the website www.erithbelvederefc.co.uk told stunned supporters.

“Micky would like to thank the chairman, directors and everyone involved at the club but feels that he has taken the club as far as he can take them and that certain resources may be lacking to allow for a successful run in the Ryman League North Division.

“Micky would like it to be noted that he will still be there on the terraces and still a fan of the club and again wishes to thank his backroom staff for everything they have done for him during his time at the Deres.

“Chairman John McFadden wishes to thank Micky and congratulate him on the League and Cup double achieved this season. John also wishes to thank Micky’s family for all the work they have done for the club and wishes Micky the best of luck for the future.

“We will be looking to appoint a new manager from now.”

Collins revealed that his entire management team of Grant Watts, Julian Leigh and John Wilfort have also resigned.

It is believed that Erith & Belvedere achieved the Kent League double on a playing budget of around £400 per week – which will guarantee a season of struggle in the Ryman League next season.

“We sat down after the end of the season and discussed where we move the club forward,” said Collins, 42.

“As I’ve documented well over the past few seasons, irrespective of what people think, we run on a real tight ship at Erith & Belvedere and as I’ve said before we won the Kent League on the lowest money ever spent.

“Moving into the Ryman League, obviously it’s a big jump up and you need to improve things and unfortunately by no fault of anybody’s we’re not in a position to be able to increase anything on the playing side to take us forward.

“With that in mind and how ambitious I am, I don’t think it will be a true reflection on everybody that I could take it forward anymore so I made the decision to come away.

“It’s an amicable decision. It’s with a heavy heart I leave, but I’ve had three great years and maybe the door opens for someone else now to step in and take it on to the next level.”

Collins added: “At the end of the day I done an awful lot there so have my family and my management team and my players.

“I’ve been fully supported by the chairman and the directors. However, sometimes you need to plan ahead a little bit and maybe that’s not happened and unfortunately it’s led to where we are today and me stepping aside.

The Welling-based club begin the search for an entire new management team after Collins revealed his staff have remained loyal to him, despite Watts and Leigh having previous coaching and management experience elsewhere.

He said: “No, they’ll leave with me. They came in with me and they’ll go with me, not that we’ve got anywhere to go!

“But they knew the situation. We’ve had good discussions. This isn’t a quick decision that’s been made in ten minutes. We’ve thought about this since we knew what the situation is and we’ve gone backwards and forwards and trying a solution and unfortunately we’ve hit the wall with it on both sides.

“I know the chairman and the directors have tried their hardest as well to keep me so it’s a mutual thing. It’s a situation that’s arisen that we can’t really do much about. I’ve made the decision to go unfortunately.

“Now I’ve got to speak to players and everybody else, make sure if they’re all good. I’m still there for the club in an advisory role. If they need me they know I’m not running anywhere.

“It’s just a sad day for the club really.”

When asked about his future, Collins replied; “I’ve got nothing lined up. I haven’t left to go to another club, contrary to what people believe so it’s not about offers or whatever for me.

“I’m ambitious and I wanted to go into the Ryman and have a really good go at it and with the way the situation is I didn’t think that would be possible and that’s why I came away.

“I can’t thank anybody enough at the football club and made me welcome and looked after me.

“Hopefully we’ve repaid them with what we’ve achieved there. We took them back to where they wanted to be. That was my remit three years ago when I joined the club, was to get them promotion and we’ve done that and sealed it with a double this year, which has been fantastic.

“Life goes on. Unfortunately it’s just one of those things.”

When asked about his future plans, Collins said he will set-off on a family holiday at the weekend and will consider his options.

He said: “I haven’t thought about that at all. My only thoughts have been making sure this situation has been sorted out the tidiest and professional as it can be. I’ve been professional since day one, since I’ve been at the club and I leave that way and with integrity and the club the same.

“The club shouldn’t be seen in a bad light. They’ve been unfortunate. They’ve been fantastic for me.

“I haven’t even thought about other clubs or football. I’ll be going away on Saturday for a week and I’ll be sitting fishing with my son and my friend Dave. I’ll enjoy that week and see where we are.

“If my phone goes and I’ll talk to people, but I’m not actively going out looking for something. If someone wants to discuss things with me then I’ll listen.”

It would appear from the outside that the best candidate would be someone who has a team in place and wants to manage at Ryman League level with a tiny playing budget – or someone willing to put their hands in their pockets.

“It’s there for someone to take on,” said Collins. “If someone can come in with new energy and look at it and have a different angle with it, then brilliant.

“Whoever goes in there has my full support, so does the club. The last thing I want to see is my hard work over the last three years go down the drain after one season and they end up back where we came from and I don’t want that, neither does my management team and players.

“I hope whoever comes in does the same job as I have and takes them up again. It will be fantastic.

“It’s a great club. It’s got great facilities. It’s got everything going for it. That’s why I took the job in the first place and I just hope it doesn’t fall backwards and I’m sure it won’t. They’ll guide it in the right way and I hope it goes on from strength-to-strength.

“Anything’s possible. I’ve proved that over three years. It just needs the right people. Maybe someone’s got the squad around them who can do it at that level. I’m not saying it’s impossible. I just didn’t think it was right for me. It’s not me being big-time or anything. I’ve discussed it with my management team and we all believed the same and looked in the same direction.

“Five of us really came up with the same answer, but hopefully if someone comes in with the right motive and they look after it and they’ll make it succeed in the Ryman.

“There’s a lot of clubs that work with not many resources in the Ryman League and make a success of it and it just needs the right person to do it.

“It is disappointing for me because I wanted to manage in the Ryman but the situation just not right for that to happen unfortunately.”

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