Margate part company with Mark Stimson after suffering relegation from the Isthmian League Premier Division

MARGATE have parted company with manager Mark Stimson last night after losing their Isthmian League Premier Division status.

Margate suffered a 5-3 defeat away to sixth-placed finishers Billericay Town yesterday, finishing four points adrift of Cheshunt in the seventh-tier.

Margate finished their campaign in nineteenth-place (bottom four), having picked up 39 points (10 wins, nine draws and 23 defeats) from their 42 league outings.

The Blues suffered the drop along with Haringey Borough (27 points), Concord Rangers (26) and Kingstonian (21).

Stimson, 56, who took over from Reece Prestedge on an 18-month contract in December, won only five, drew four and lost 14 of games while in the Hartsdown Park hotseat.

Margate also finished fourth-from-bottom of the Isthmian League Premier Division in 2009 and 2010 but were both reprieved from relegation on both occasions.

Margate have never played in the Isthmian League South East Division before.  They last played in the Southern League South Division, where they finished runners-up to Havant & Waterlooville back in 1998-99.

“Margate Football Club can confirm that following relegation from the Isthmian Premier Division, it will be opting to part ways with manager, Mark Stimson,” said a club statement.

“The search for a new manager will start immediately, as we aim to bounce straight back up, and we will update supporters with more information when possible.

“The club wish Mark all the best for the future.

“This League is becoming more competitive year-on-year, the challenge  grows every season.   However, when we appointed a new manager in December, it certainly wasn’t a change with a relegation battle in mind.  Quite the opposite, as we had the ambition to push for a top-half finish at the very least.

“As a club, we have given our full support to the cause providing extra training opportunities, financial backing to rebuild the squad and everything in between.

“We are extremely disappointed for our supporters; all we can do now is prepare for next season and aim to bounce straight back up.”

Visit Margate’s website: www.margate-fc.co.uk