Kentish Football 
I don't think I was given a fair chance, says former Erith Town boss James Collins
The Kent League club took the decision to part company with Collins following their 2-1 defeat at Corinthian at the weekend.
The Dockers slipped down to third-place in the table, with 38 points from 17 games - six points behind leaders Erith & Belvedere - following their third successive defeat at Gay Dawn Farm.
Collins, 30, who was previously the club’s reserve team manager for three years, took over the reigns after Tony Russell and his assistant manager Ray Powell quit the club to take over at VCD Athletic at the end of October, despite the Dockers sitting proudly at the top of the table.
Collins was in charge for eleven games, winning two, drawing two and losing seven.
The club appointed former boss Mark Tompkins as their new manager on Monday night and he will be assisted by Paul Gorman.
Tompkins, a former striker who played for the likes of Erith Town, Croydon, Bromley, Cray Wanderers, Fisher Athletic, Greenwich Borough among others, previously managed the Dockers from 2006 until the eve of the 2008-09 season.
He brought the Kent League Cup to Erith Stadium in 2008 after a 1-0 win over Hythe Town in the Final at Folkestone Invicta’s Cheriton Road.
Tompkins has since managed two Surrey clubs, Croydon (Kent League) and Chipstead (Ryman League Division One South).
Former Charlton Athletic player Gorman managed Kent League side Erith & Belvedere between November 2006-December 2009 and the pair will take charge of the team for the first time when Jason Lillis brings his Lordswood side to Avenue Road on Saturday.
Collins revealed in his statement, which has been published in full, that he was sacked in the clubhouse at Corinthian Football Club in front of everybody after Saturday’s defeat and faced a troubled time during his reign.
He said: “Firstly, I’d like to start by thanking Erith Town Football Club for giving me my first job as first team manager in senior football.
“Whilst I have been at the club I have remained fiercely loyal to everyone at the club, but after the manner in which I was treated at the weekend, I feel it’s important to state the facts that have led to my sacking.
“I fully accept that results have dipped since Tony Russell’s departure and nobody at the club has felt that more than me. On reflection and given the turmoil that followed Tony’s departure I actually think that we did very well to get the results that we did.
“Initially upon taking over as first team manager I knew there was going to be quite a bit of upheaval at the club, but my aim was to stabilise in the first instance and try to maintain the fantastic position that we were in.
“Almost immediately several players expressed their desire to leave and join VCD. It’s extremely difficult at this level of football where players work all day and don’t get paid huge amounts of money. They are not contracted to clubs in the main and players invariably play for managers, they don’t play for the fans, the badge or the love of club.
“Understandably these players had built relationships with Tony over time which I fully understood but it totally de-stabilised the side as they were the backbone of the team.
“This situation became an even bigger problem when the club refused to release any player without seven day notices being submitted (1 per month from the same club, up to a maximum of 3).
“It meant that I had players in the changing room that didn’t want to be there and who felt were forced to stay at the club or face not being able to play football for months.
“It was obvious that collectively their hearts weren’t really in it with some players even refusing to play.
“The players that did stay had loyalties elsewhere and would be in regular contact with the previous manager which totally unsettled the changing room and undermined what we were trying to do.
“I tried to keep as many of the squad together as possible as I believed it was the best way for us to go forward and maybe go on to win the league.
“This only served to create an even bigger divide in the changing room as some players were totally committed to the cause and others simply didn’t want to be there.
“I believe that certain members of the committee became so obsessed with how badly they felt Tony had treated them and the club that they lost sight of what we were trying to achieve.
“Refusing to release players was seriously affecting my ability to manage the team in the way I wished. Furthermore, I was finding it increasingly difficult to sign players as word soon got around that Erith were holding player registrations and stopping players from playing football.
“Players were telling me they didn’t want to play for the club because of the situation that had subsequently developed.
“I had no choice but to take the decision to change tact and realised that we needed to rebuild quickly.
“The on-set of the bad weather gave me a little time to find out which players really wanted to be at the club and then replace those with new faces to try and invigorate the squad and give us the best chance of challenging for the league title.
“After going through that upheaval and having only two games and two training sessions with 'my' team I have been sacked.
“Whilst I accept that results haven’t been ideal it was always about the league, in which we have won 2, drawn 1 and lost 3, given the circumstances outlined I don’t feel I was given a fair chance to show that I’m a good manager and push the club forward.
“Despite being given the job after proving myself as a good manager for the reserves, I was constantly undermined. Every decision I made was questioned, not being able to cancel player registrations, having to constantly justify substitutions and team selections and being required to attend numerous meetings where unreasonable requests were made.
“This is my third year at the club, running the reserve team was particularly challenging as the club didn’t always pay for referees so I had to pay for them out of my own pocket along with other miscellaneous expenses which I picked up myself.
“After giving every ounce of commitment throughout this period I believe I deserved a little bit more respect and consideration rather than the disgraceful way I was treated on Saturday.
“I feel hurt and upset that after all my hard work I was sacked in the opposition bar where my players, opposition players and committee members were present.
“The chairman (Albert Putman) puts a lot of money into the club and is entitled to do whatever he wishes.
“I hope that all the players stay for the new manager as I feel I have now assembled a strong squad which was beginning to settle after the tumultuous events that had gone on previously.
“There are some really talented footballers at the club, many of whom are players I signed, who will undoubtedly bring it success. Let’s hope the new manager is given enough time by the chairman to allow that to happen.”
“I came to the club during the time the Erith & Dartford merger was ongoing where there was no apparent link between the reserves and first team and no youth team, so I leave the club with the first team sitting third and I believe still in with a good chance of winning the league, a strong link with the firsts and reserves who also sit third, and a good, young vibrant youth team in place.
“I can hand on heart say I never took a penny out of the club and am proud of what I helped to achieve during my time at the club.
“Finally, I love football and I consider that I am a football man. I don't anticipate being out of the game for too long but for the time being I shall have some time to reflect and consider my options going forward.
“I have learnt lots of invaluable lessons from this experience and I will undoubtedly be a better manager as a result.
“I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank everybody that has given me support and advice during my spell as manager and since my departure.”
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