Relegated Erith & Belvedere part company with Chris Cosgrove

Thursday 01st May 2014

ERITH & BELVEDERE have confirmed that they have parted company with manager Chris Cosgrove this morning.

The club were relegated after just one season in the Ryman League, finishing at the foot of the Division One North table with six wins, four draws and 36 defeats from their 46 league games.

The side that were promoted with them, VCD Athletic, however, went on to win the league title, pipping Witham Town by one point on a dramatic final day of the season last weekend.

However, it was a different story 12 months ago, when former manager Micky Collins guided the Welling-based club to the Kent League and Cup double.

But Collins – who officially takes over Southern Counties East Football League side Sevenoaks Town on a three-year contract today – decided to resign as manager only 12 days after beating Corinthian 4-1 to win the League Cup.

Collins said at the time of his departure from Park View Road: “We sat down after the end of the season and discussed where we move the club forward.

“As I’ve documented well over the past few seasons, irrespective of what people think, we run on a real tight ship at Erith & Belvedere and as I’ve said before we won the Kent League on the lowest money ever spent.

“Moving into the Ryman League, obviously it’s a big jump up and you need to improve things and unfortunately by no fault of anybody’s we’re not in a position to be able to increase anything on the playing side to take us forward.

“With that in mind and how ambitious I am, I don’t think it will be a true reflection on everybody that I could take it forward anymore so I made the decision to come away.

“It’s an amicable decision. It’s with a heavy heart I leave, but I’ve had three great years and maybe the door opens for someone else now to step in and take it on to the next level.”

The club installed Cosgrove and Martin Ford as joint-managers, but Ford confirmed that he was “sacked” by the club on 7 October 2013, prompting his son Joe, a coach, to resign.

Erith & Belvedere sat in thirteenth-place in the Ryman League Division One North table at the time, having collected four wins and three draws from their opening thirteen games.

However, the club suffered a disastrous run of form under Cosgrove’s sole charge and in 34 games in charge on his own the club won two, drew two and lost 30 games in all competitions.

The club suffered some poor results too, including a 10-1 defeat away to Thurrock on 13 February, which culminated in the club conceding 137 league goals in 46 games.

Erith & Belvedere have confirmed that there will be a new man in place in time for their return to the Southern Counties East Football League in August.

The club issued a brief statement on their website.

“Erith & Belvedere can now confirm that they have parted company with manager Chris Cosgrove.

“A new manager has not yet been appointed and the club will make a further announcement in due course.”

Visit Erith & Belvedere’s website: www.erithbelvederefc.co.uk