Tunbridge Wells appoint Jason Bourne as their new boss: Chairman Clive Maynard: I am sure if you cut Jason in half he would resemble a stick of rock with TWFC running right through the middle

TUNBRIDGE WELLS have today appointed club stalwart Jason Bourne as their new manager after parting company with Keith Bird.

The club are sitting in 12^th place in the Southern Counties East Football League table, having won four, drawn three and lost seven of their 14 league games.

The Culverden Stadium outfit are 17 points adrift of league leaders Hollands & Blair.

Club chairman Clive Maynard told www.tunbridgewellsfc.com: “Following the recent run of poor results the board have decided that it is appropriate to make a change to the management team.

“With immediate effect Keith Bird has been relieved of his duties as manager.

“Keith has worked tirelessly to try to achieve the club's ambitions but sadly things have not worked out for either party.

“The club wish to thank Keith for his hard work during his tenure and wish him all the best for the future.

“The board are delighted to announce that Jason Bourne has agreed to take over as manager.

“Jason will be making an announcement with regard to his back room team shortly but he will be retaining Mark Stapley and Michal Czanner.

“The board wish Jason all the very best for this new stage of what has already been a long and illustrious career at Tunbridge Wells Football Club.”

Bird – who was Bromley’s reserve team manager before he took over at Cray Wanderers – took charge in the summer after Martin Larkin decided to leave owing to increased work commitments.

Bird’s final game in charge was to be the 1-0 home defeat to Beckenham Town in the Southern Counties East Football League on Saturday.

Bourne’s first official game in charge of the club – he held the reigns when Bird was away on holiday at the beginning of the season – will be the club’s home game against Rochester United in the league on 7 November.

Mr Maynard said: “It has certainly been an eventful few days at the club. The decision to relieve Keith Bird of his duties was not taken lightly by the board but we felt that results and performances were simply not good enough.

“With no game scheduled for the 31st October 2015 we felt that the window of opportunity was now, thus giving the new management team a little bit longer to stamp their ethos on the Players.

“The appointment of Jason Bourne was a unanimous decision made by the board.

“When I spoke to Jason to see if he was interested in stepping up from his current assistant managers role his reply was instant 'I want the job' I asked Jason to think it over, talk to Emma but I was very politely told that he had Emma's full support, he would tell her when he got home!

“We all know that Jason is Tunbridge Wells Football Club through and through, so his progression from player to captain to assistant manager to manger shouldn't be a surprise to any of us.

“Jason is a winner, he is a natural leader, he has the respect of the changing room and impressed the board when he was temporarily at the helm in August.

“I am sure if you cut Jason in half he would resemble a stick of rock with TWFC running right through the middle.

“Jason will be announcing some changes to the back room team shortly and as is the case when any new manager is appointed please accept that the playing side of things will also change.

“Please join me in wishing Jason all the very best in his new role, I know that we have a young dynamic and driven manager on board!”

Visit Tunbridge Wells’ website: www.tunbridgewellsfc.com