AS he stepped down as first team manager, Glyn Ashton released a statement on Mangotsfield United’s website.
He said: “Those who know me well will know that whilst I saw this role as an absolute privilege, it was never on my radar to manage a team at this level…I came in more to steady the ship rather than being the long term manager, and whilst I have enjoyed elements of it, I have to say that it is a full-time job on top of my proper full-time job, which is running a growing business I set up in 2020.”
Ashton said he had considered stepping down at the end of last season, but felt that maintaining a consistent management, coaching team and squad, with some extra signings, would “get us over the line” to promotion this season.
However a huge number of unexpected injuries this season, many of them long-term, to key players, had left the team without up to 13 first team players at a time.
Ashton said: “Taking into consideration that I would be finishing at the end of this season I made it clear to the club recently that if the right manager became available we should make the change now rather than waiting until the end of the season, as a change now might just give us the extra impetus we need and maybe we could still force our way into play-off contention and win some silverware, too.
“I believe there is still a lot to play for this season and I believe we have made the right choice in manager for the benefit of both the short-term and long-term ambitions of the team.”