Charlie Brown has revealed he resigned as Strathspey Thistle manager because he didn’t feel he could get the best out of the players.
Brown stepped down after 18 months at the helm at Seafield Park.
After finishing 16th in Breedon Highland League last season, the Grantown Jags have struggled this term, winning just once and picking up only five points from 19 fixtures.
Brown’s final match in charge was last Saturday’s 7-0 loss to Rothes, their third 7-0 defeat in four games.
Brown said: “I didn’t feel we were all pulling in right direction between myself and the players.
“I only had seven players at training this week, which is difficult, and it’s not the first time it’s happened.
“We’re having conversations after games about what we can do to rectify our problems.
“But, then when you’ve only got seven at training, you can’t work on things and work on your mistakes if you don’t have the numbers there.
“So I felt maybe it was me that needed the change and that it would be easier for me to step aside and for the club to get somebody else in.
“Hopefully the boys will react to getting somebody new in and hopefully they can pull away from the bottom of the league.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the experience. There are great people at Strathspey who were very welcoming.
“There is a good bunch of lads there and whoever gets the job will find that.
“It’s unfortunate what’s happened, but the defeats we had maybe demoralised some of them and led to them not coming to training.
“Hopefully Strathspey get the right manager in to take them forward.”
Recruitment difficulties
Brown admits recruitment problems also hampered Strathspey this term.
During the summer, they lost Robert Donaldson, Andrew Skinner, Craig Mackenzie and Kris Duncan, while loanee Dylan Lawrence returned to Elgin City.
Former Forres Mechanics player and coach Brown, who hasn’t ruled out a return to football in the future, found it difficult to replace them.
He added: “We had a good finish towards the end of last season, but we lost five experienced players there.
“Losing players like that would hamper any club if you can’t replace them.
“It was disappointing we couldn’t replace those quality players and build on what we did at the end of last season.
“We found it difficult to recruit, (and) pre-season didn’t go well with a lot of players missing for various reasons.
“That probably set the tone for the start of the season as well.”
Strathspey’s game tomorrow against Buckie Thistle at Seafield Park has been postponed due to snow.
Brian Ritchie, Craig Ireland and Robbie Flett will take interim charge while Thistle look for a new manager.
A club statement read: “Strathspey Thistle would like to confirm as from yesterday afternoon Charlie Brown has stood down from his role of team manager with immediate effect.
“The club would like to put on record their great appreciation of Charlie’s professionalism and effort he gave to the club in this tough time.
“Thank you Charlie Brown and we wish you all the best for the future.”
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