Ben Taylor was the heart and soul of the club for six years, says Woodstock Sports chair Ron Welling

BEN TAYLOR has stepped down as the player-manager of Woodstock Sports and has been replaced by Lee Hockey.

Taylor stepped down following the club’s 2-0 home defeat to Epsom Athletic in The FA Carlsberg Vase Second Qualifying Round yesterday.

The Sittingbourne-based club are rooted to the foot of the Southern Counties East Football League table, having collected one win and one draw from their opening seven games.

“Woodstock Sports Football Club is sad to announce that Ben Taylor is leaving his post as manager,” said a club statement.

“After a careful and deliberate review of the start of the season, Ben himself came to the decision that a change was appropriate but it was not a decision that was reached lightly or hastily.”

Chairman Ron Welling was fulsome in his praise for the outgoing manager.

He said: “Ben will always be more than a Kent County League championship winning manager, more than a Kent County League championship winning star player.

“He has been in many ways the heart and soul of the club for the last 6 years. He personifies a lot of what is good about Woodstock Sports Football Club. He has always put the club and its supporters first. Ben will always be a part of the family at Woodstock.

"Ben came into the club as manager at our request at a time when Norton Sports needed him. He didn't ask to be manager; he was asked to assume the role. He did so because he knew the club needed him. He has done an excellent job in securing promotion from the Kent County League and stabilising us in the Kent League. We owe him a great debt of gratitude.

"However, results in the League have been disappointing and he believed that to build on the progress that has been made, we needed to make a change.

"We are committed to delivering success for our community and our ambition remains resolute to progress up the leagues using local talent."

Taylor’s departure brings an end to his spell at the club where as a player and as a manager he won the Kent County League Premier Division championship and Champions Trophy adding to his numerous other medals picked up at other clubs throughout his career.

Taylor said he is proud to have served such a great club.

"It has been an honour and a privilege to have had the chance to play for and manage Woodstock Sports especially under Ron,” said the central defender.

“Ron is a brilliant chairman and a great mate. I greatly appreciate the work that my backroom staff, the players that have remained loyal to me and all of the committee put in during my time and I feel proud that we are now an established club in this league.”

"Whilst I am obviously disappointed to be leaving the football club, I’d like to think I am doing it in an honourable, respectful and dignified way that reflects on the quality of the people involved with this club and their continued desire to move the football club forward in the same way as when I started here.

"I would like to thank all of the clubs committee for their effort and loyalty and I will always be of help if I can at any time

"Finally, I want to put on record my personal gratitude to a few players who have always given me and the club their full support: Chris Smith, Lewis Taylor, Frazer Rogers and James McDonald.”

The chairman has announced Taylor’s assistant Lee Hockey as the clubs new manager.

Mr Welling said: "We feel we have identified the right person to take this club forward and build on the strong foundations put in place over the years.

“Lee has been with the squad for the last couple of seasons in a playing capacity before being asked to cross over into management replacing Scott Appleton as assistant during the summer.

“The decision to promote from within was seen by the committee as the best way forward.”

Taylor also endorsed the appointment, saying: “I think the club has taken the best decision possible.

“He is more than capable. The players know him. He will make a few changes. He will give the club and these players something that I thought I could no longer give.

“I could have continued but it is not what Woodstock would have deserved.”

Woodstock Sports welcome Greenwich Borough to Broadoak Road, Sittingbourne on Saturday (3pm).

Visit Woodstock Sports’ website: www.woodstocksports.co.uk