We've been stabbed in the back, claims Joe Ford

Monday 07th October 2013

MARTIN FORD has confirmed that he was sacked by Erith & Belvedere tonight.

He confirmed the news in the players’ tunnel at Champion Hill Stadium in Dulwich, minutes after Fisher’s 4-1 home defeat to Kent Invicta League side Bridon Ropes in the Kent Senior Trophy First Round.

Erith & Belvedere sit in thirteenth-place in the Ryman League Division One North table, having collected four wins and three draws from their opening 13 games.

The Deres were dumped out of The FA Trophy in the Preliminary Round on Saturday, going down to a 4-1 defeat away to Southern League Division One Central highflyers Dunstable Town.

Chatham Town ended the club’s interest in The FA Cup with a 5-0 win at Park View Road earlier in the season, meaning the club failed to collect any prize money from The Football Association this season.

The club secured the Kent League and Cup double under Micky Collins’ last season and it appears that Chris Cosgrove will take sole charge of team affairs from now.

Joe Ford, who left Cray Valley in the summer to join his dad Martin on the coaching staff at Park View Road, issued the following statement in the early hours of Tuesday morning to explain why he has decided to leave the club.

“I can confirm that today I have decided to leave Erith & Belvedere Football Club with immediate effect after hearing the news that my Dad Martin Ford was told by Chris Cosgrove that his services are no longer required by him or the club.

“This comes despite the huge amount of time and effort that he has put in in getting a whole new squad and everything that goes along with it assembled in such a short space of time, which as you know is currently competing in a mid-table position in the Ryman League.

“I would like to put on record that I am very disappointed to be leaving what I did consider a good club, and a big one at that.

“When I was first approached by Erith & Belvedere I was unsure whether it was too early in my career to coach at Ryman League level and it was very hard for me to leave such a great club in Cray Valley who were ever so good to me in my time there.

“It’s fair to say that my dad had a big impact on my decision and I felt that I had to give it a go as the opportunity to work with him in a higher level may not arise again. I thought about it and despite people telling me otherwise I went with my instinct and took on the challenge which unfortunately has come to an end today.

“To be completely honest with you I have to say that the way the club have gone about their business is a complete and utter shambles. The way they have treated my Dad after the amount of time and effort he has put in is a disgrace.

“After a fantastic double winning season, we arrived at the club with no players, no equipment, no training facilities and no sponsors and in a matter of weeks have completely turned that on its head with a squad currently sitting mid-table in the Ryman League having taken points from 50% of the games played so far, state of the art training facilities, brand new equipment and a brand new club sponsor (which was acquired by one of the players we brought in).

“I can honestly say with my head held high that I know I have done a good job at Erith & Belvedere as first team coach and without the politics involved at the club would have probably gone on to do an even better one in the future.

“I think that to take a set of mostly Kent League players and mold them into a team with a set way of playing in such a short space of time was a fantastic achievement and then to carry that on and to compete whilst taking points off of established Ryman League sides just shows how far we have come and I have no doubt in my mind that we would of improved more and more as the season went on as the lads had bought into what we were trying to achieve.

“When I joined, I was told that our job was to keep the club in the Ryman. We was more than on course to achieve this so I suppose I can be proud of that. I can also leave the club knowing that I have always been 100% honest, gave it my best and have not stabbed anyone in the back.

“I don't think that can be said for others involved but even I know after my short time involved in non-league that that's football!

“I won't hide the fact that what’s happened was probably always in the pipe line at some stage.

“When you have the situation of a Co-Manager (Chris Cosgrove) putting money into the teams wage bill then there is always going to be a power struggle. We had one manager in my Dad who put a whole club back together in just weeks after a great double winning season was destroyed by what I can only describe as dinosaurs behind the scenes and then another manager who with the greatest respect didn't do anything at all but contribute to the wage bill. That's where the problem was.

“What I didn't expect however (despite being warned) was for the club to put that money before hard work, passion and knowledge of the game which they have clearly done.

“What saddens me the most is the squad we have assembled would of played for the budget originally offered without being topped up but again that was taken out of our hands.

“It has to be said that this is not sour grapes. In fact I wish all of the players that we brought in all the best in whatever they decide to do as well as the coaching staff Martin Barnard and Darren Mace who I have worked with for nearly two years. They are all good lads and I am sure they understand why I have chosen to leave.

“Lastly, I would like to say a big thank you to my Dad who gave me the opportunity to coach in the Ryman and I am gutted that he has been used to set up and put everything in place for someone else.

“As for me, I have had a few nice messages from various manager’s and players’ since leaving and I know that this will only add to my experience and aid me in the future. I'm excited to see what the future brings!

“As for my Dad, if he feels he wants to continue then I am sure that it will only be a matter of time before he gets another good job and I know that given the right tools and time he will again make it a success.”

A club statement was published on their offical club website at 2 o’clock on Tuesday afternoon.

“We would like to thank both Martin and Joe for everything they have done for the club.

“They have both put in a fantastic effort and built us up bringing in players and a strong backroom staff that has allowed us to become an established outfit in the first third of our first ever season in the Ryman Football League.

“The effort that both Martin and Joe put into the club cannot be faulted and we wish them the very best for all their future endeavours.”