As we all know, he is a highly qualified coach and he has been offered and accepted a role at the FA which involves coaching and mentoring and which starts next season. It is not a full time role and the Board has explored with him whether he could work full time at his day job, carry out his FA duties and be our 1st team manager and we have jointly accepted this is not possible. The Board has known about this for a few weeks but did not want any announcements made until the 1st team were mathematically certain of staying up so as to not want any deflection from that task.The Board is very disappointed to announce this news as we have all been impressed by how well Ross Thorpe has turned round the fortunes of the 1st team, got us playing some decent football and introduced 8 young players into the squad who have blossomed as a result. It now means a search for a new manager will start shortly after the season end. The Board wishes Ross every success in his new FA coaching role and we hope to see him at Coles Lane regularly in the future.

Ross has issued a personal statement on his time as 1st team manager which will follow shortly.