Post by Brian Mackay on Apr 20, 2006 8:39:39 GMT
Wick Academy part company with Manager 18-Apr-2006 - from www.highlandleague.net
Wick Academy FC have announced that they have parted company with manager Alistair Budge with immediate effect. The Caithness club, who came into the Highland League in 1994, currently lie in 12th position and can attain a finishing position one place higher at the end of the season.
However it was following serious consideration that secretary Alistair Ross released the following statement on behalf of the club earlier today:
Alistair Budge took charge of 110 games during his reign of just over three years with the club, 92 of which were League games. His League record of 58 defeats, 22 wins and 12 draws in that time has not, in the opinion of the Committee, demonstrated sufficient improvement over previous seasons to continue in the current vein
The club's official statement added that it was the belief that no clear improvement in performance being shown that led to the committee reaching their decision. He added:
League points and positions over the past three full seasons have seen Wick Academy remain above the bottom three positions. However the points gap between Wick and the next League position has steadily increased. Alistair agreed a clear set of objectives for the season, and although he has not failed to meet them, the direction and development of the club failed to meet the expectations of the committee and everyone associated with the club
It is a decision that has frustrated the outgoing manager. Budge learned of the clubs intentions while travelling up from Edinburgh. He commented:
I do not want people to say I have left the club. I have been sacked and left sickened. No money has been made available to me, no proper training facilities and I am not a magician. I took no money out of the Club
However he added there were many good things to reflect on during his reign that he hopes will help overshadow the events of this week, adding:
The big picture this year is we have only lost by a single goal to quite a few really good teams. I have heard Managers next door to the Wick dressing room roasting their players so I must have been doing something right. One more year was all I wanted to try and progress the thing.
He has particularly fond memories of some local lads going on to do well
Martin Gunn has been selected to play in the Scottish Semi Professional Tournament and hopefully he will again be in the squad for the Tournament this year, while Craig Gunn and Richard MacAdie have gone on to play for Ross County.
Unfortunately though, a 0-7 home defeat by Keith was to have been his last game in charge and it is not a game he will want to remember. He said:
We had lost narrowly to Keith a couple of times this season, but some players let me down that day. Some of the things that happened were hard to believe and that left me very sad after we had been picking up some good results.
I wish the club all the best however, although for me I know not what the future holds. Hibs have invited me back down to look at their training methods but I have no clear direction of where to go from here
The club's statement concluded by thanking Mr Budge for his contribution
Wick Academy FC would like to thank Alistair for the tireless amount of hours he dedicated to the club during his time as Manager, and would like to wish him and his family every success for the future
It is believed coaches Ian Munro and Richard Hughes are likely to take charge of the team for the remaining two games.
Wick Academy FC have announced that they have parted company with manager Alistair Budge with immediate effect. The Caithness club, who came into the Highland League in 1994, currently lie in 12th position and can attain a finishing position one place higher at the end of the season.
However it was following serious consideration that secretary Alistair Ross released the following statement on behalf of the club earlier today:
Alistair Budge took charge of 110 games during his reign of just over three years with the club, 92 of which were League games. His League record of 58 defeats, 22 wins and 12 draws in that time has not, in the opinion of the Committee, demonstrated sufficient improvement over previous seasons to continue in the current vein
The club's official statement added that it was the belief that no clear improvement in performance being shown that led to the committee reaching their decision. He added:
League points and positions over the past three full seasons have seen Wick Academy remain above the bottom three positions. However the points gap between Wick and the next League position has steadily increased. Alistair agreed a clear set of objectives for the season, and although he has not failed to meet them, the direction and development of the club failed to meet the expectations of the committee and everyone associated with the club
It is a decision that has frustrated the outgoing manager. Budge learned of the clubs intentions while travelling up from Edinburgh. He commented:
I do not want people to say I have left the club. I have been sacked and left sickened. No money has been made available to me, no proper training facilities and I am not a magician. I took no money out of the Club
However he added there were many good things to reflect on during his reign that he hopes will help overshadow the events of this week, adding:
The big picture this year is we have only lost by a single goal to quite a few really good teams. I have heard Managers next door to the Wick dressing room roasting their players so I must have been doing something right. One more year was all I wanted to try and progress the thing.
He has particularly fond memories of some local lads going on to do well
Martin Gunn has been selected to play in the Scottish Semi Professional Tournament and hopefully he will again be in the squad for the Tournament this year, while Craig Gunn and Richard MacAdie have gone on to play for Ross County.
Unfortunately though, a 0-7 home defeat by Keith was to have been his last game in charge and it is not a game he will want to remember. He said:
We had lost narrowly to Keith a couple of times this season, but some players let me down that day. Some of the things that happened were hard to believe and that left me very sad after we had been picking up some good results.
I wish the club all the best however, although for me I know not what the future holds. Hibs have invited me back down to look at their training methods but I have no clear direction of where to go from here
The club's statement concluded by thanking Mr Budge for his contribution
Wick Academy FC would like to thank Alistair for the tireless amount of hours he dedicated to the club during his time as Manager, and would like to wish him and his family every success for the future
It is believed coaches Ian Munro and Richard Hughes are likely to take charge of the team for the remaining two games.