by DYLAN INGLIS
NEWMAINS UNITED had just one three-year-old match ball when Paul Davies and Craig Gupwell started as co-managers.
But in their three-and-a-half years at the club the duo helped put together transformational changes on and off the Victoria Park pitch.
The pair resigned from their roles following the home defeat to Kello Rovers on Saturday.
But Davies insists the weekend’s result had no impact on that decision – and that stepping aside had been in their minds before that.
Davies said: “First of all we would like to thank all the players, staff and volunteers who have supported us.
“Us stepping aside was nothing to do with the Kello game – it’s something that had been in our plans for a while.
“Guppy and I just felt that we’d been on this great journey - and it has been a real journey for us - but we’ve taken it as far as we want to take it now.
“There are a lot of great memories.
“We arrived at a club with one three-year-old match ball - and when you look at the infrastructure now with the new club house and everything there’s a real difference.
“Every year we finished higher in the league - and higher than the team had finished in a decade.
“So there has been real progress on and off the field.”
Newmains have received great credit for their developments off the pitch during Davies and Gupwell’s tenure.
The club have put in tireless work to improve the playing surface, dressing rooms, and the clubhouse at their Vicotria Park home.
The old management team will even be staying around to help pick out a candidate they feel can take the club to the next level.
Davies added: “We obviously don’t want to leave the club in the lurch – we’re going to stay on in some capacity until we find someone suitable to come in.
“It’s about Newmains United – and making sure Newmains United is in safe hands.
“It’s not about Paul Davies and Craig Gupwell – we need to make sure what we’re doing is right for the club because we don’t want to see all the good work from the past three-and-a-half years go to waste.
“We won’t be managing the team but we’ll be there for the next two or three weeks. We will do whatever it takes to make sure the club is in the right hands.
“It’s time to pass it on to somebody who’s confident and capable of taking the club forward.”
Anyone interested in applying for the vacant managerial job should send a CV and covering letter to [email protected] by midnight on Sunday January 23.
