There's people at the club with their own agenda, says Darren Anslow

DARREN ANSLOW has explained why he has resigned as Sevenoaks Town’s manager this weekend.



The Kent League club begin their search for their fourth manager in as many years after the 41-year-old, Eltham based boss handed in his resignation.

Anslow, who runs the Academy at Ryman Premier League side Cray Wanderers in full-time employment, guided the Greatness Park outfit to the Kent Senior Trophy Final in April, but they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Kent Invicta League side Hollands & Blair.

Sevenoaks Town finished in the bottom-three in the Kent League table, after picking up five wins and eight draws from their 30 games, but Anslow blooded many of his Academy players into the blood and thunder of the Kent League to gain them much-needed experience of men’s football.

But like predecessors Simon Jones and Keith Levett, who also lasted a season, the Greatness Park hot-seat is vacant again as the club search for another manager.

“I don’t want to go into too much about what’s gone on, but I had a really good time there and I’m a little bit gutted,” said Anslow.

“There was a couple of things that I didn’t feel were right and I’ve got certain principles that I adhere too and it wasn’t the right thing at the right time for the two parties.

“But I’d like to thank everyone there for all of their help there last year. I hope they do well.”

Anslow said people at the club are not signing from the same hymn sheet, but declined to point the finger of blame to the culprits.

He said:  “I believe personally that there’s a certain structure to a club.  I was trying to put that into place but I believe that there are certain individuals within the set-up, shall we say, that have their own agenda and I can’t work under those circumstances.

“I’m really devastated because I’ve spent pretty much every night out since the season ended meeting players and the squad I’ve put together for this season was looking very, very strong on paper.

“It’s a good club.  The people there are good and work really hard and there’s certain people there with certain agendas.”

Anslow says he has all the qualifications to coach at a top non-league club and when asked about his future, although he will still run Cray Wanderers’ Academy, he wants to get back into football.

He said: “In terms of Saturday’s, I didn’t want to be out of the game now.  I still want to be involved somewhere. 

“People need to remember two years ago with Cray Wanderers’ reserves we won everything, League and Cup, reached the Kent Intermediate Cup Final.

“This year with nothing and I mean nothing we reached the Kent Senior Trophy Final, although our League position wasn’t great last year.

“We were so positive going into this summer especially with five or six boys that I’ve spoken to.  Some were dropping down a League and some were coming from other clubs.

“We were looking good on paper to be honest. We were looking really strong. We were excited about this season.  We met up with the boys last Tuesday. We had our pre-season plans in place, but it’s not to be and we move on.

“Listen, I’ve just completed my A Licence. There’s no way I’ve done that and be sitting indoors twiddling my thumbs, but I’m aware that I could be a long time out of this game.”

When asked about the future of his management team, Anslow replied, “In terms of the dug-out, I’ve had fantastic help all season. I had Martin Barnard and Anthony Ferguson and Darren Mace – all with a B Licence.  It’s probably the strongest dug-out there is in that league in terms of qualifications.

“As far as I’m aware they’ll be moving on as well.  I’ve managed to speak to a couple of them. Obviously being Fathers’ Day and a busy weekend I haven’t caught up with all of them.

“It’s a shame because I wanted to keep them together because we were a fantastic unit, especially coming into the end of the year.  In this game it’s difficult to find people to work.  We all complemented each other really.  All the times I got sent out from the dug-out I had people in there who I could trust. I know I could have trusted those three.”

Anslow hopes the club iron out the issues that made him quit after a year in charge.

He said: “They know what they need to do.  I’ve given them my input. As upset as I am at handing in my resignation – it is my choice – but I’ve got principles I adhere too.

“Rightly or wrongly I’m very opinionated. I spent a year looking, watching and seeing what I felt needed doing at the club. I tried to implement that for the season coming.

“Like I said there’s people at the club with their own agenda, who have put a block on that for me. The club has to run in the right order, but I believe the club know what they need doing.  It’s just a matter of time they will get it right hopefully.

“They know what I’ve said what they need to do to get that club in order. I think it was perhaps a year too early to put in in place.

“I don’t want to go too much in depth. We all know what it is and hopefully they’ll get it done.”

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Kent League, former Sevenoaks Town player, Kris Hollidge has been appointed as Greenwich Borough’s new coach.   Hollidge, who was Borough’s skipper towards the end of last season, held player-coach roles at both Fisher and Cray Valley (Paper Mills) in the past couple of seasons and has a vast knowledge of the Kent League.

Visit Sevenoaks Town’s website: www.sevenoakstownfc.org