Graeme Stewart described deciding to leave Buckie Thistle as “the hardest decision of my life” but insists the time is right for him to bow out as manager.
The 42-year-old has resigned as Jags boss because he wants a break from football to spend more time with his family and to focus on work commitments.
Stewart was the longest-serving gaffer in the Breedon Highland League having taken over as caretaker manager at Victoria Park in November 2014 before landing the role permanently in February 2015.
During his tenure he guided Buckie to the Highland League championship in 2017 and this season, and the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup in November 2016.
This term Stewart also led Thistle to the most high profile match in their history as they tackled Celtic in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup.
Explaining why he has stepped down, Stewart said: “The main reason is that I need a break, it’s been almost 10 years.
“I’ve got daughters who are three and one and need more of my attention and I’ve also got a lot of demands at work.
“I’ve loved every minute of being a manager, but I just feel it’s the right time.
“Until we won the league again I wasn’t going anywhere, I was adamant that the team could win the league and I needed to do that.
“Winning the league this season, giving the club a bit more financial security with the Celtic Scottish Cup tie and getting into the League Cup next season all made me think the timing was maybe right.
‘Emotional decision’
“I need to recharge the batteries, people think you get a break at the end of the season, but as a manager that’s your busiest time.
“Whether it’s my personal life, work or football I’m 100% or nothing and I’d hate to carry on and not give 100%.
“It was the hardest decision of my life and one I’ve agonised over for a few months.
“It’s an emotional decision because of how much the club, the players, the coaching staff, the directors and committee and the fans mean to me.
“The players are very special to me and it will be tough not being their manager any more.
“I want to thank everyone at the club and Garry Farquhar (Buckie president) in particular, because they took a chance on someone I don’t think they wanted to begin with.
“I kind of forced them into giving me the job and I hope I’ve paid them back.
“Not many people would have given me that opportunity and I’ll be thankful for the rest of my life that they did.”
Play-off disappointment didn’t impact decision
Buckie missed out on the chance to get promoted after winning the league this season.
The Jags were deemed ineligible to compete in the pyramid play-offs because they didn’t manage obtain a bronze club licence from the Scottish FA and didn’t request an additional period of grace from the SPFL by the deadline of March 31.
But Stewart, who is operations director for Titan Tools Services, insists missing out on promotion didn’t influence his decision.
Jags manager Graeme Stewart resigns#Pitcherohttps://t.co/m7lYDF2PyM pic.twitter.com/axT6eDz96v
— Buckie Thistle FC (@BuckieThistle) May 5, 2024
He added: “My mind was made up a few months ago if we won the league, if we hadn’t I’d have forced myself to go again.
“I was desperate to win the league for the club and the fans, the play-off thing didn’t have any bearing on my decision.”
Memories to treasure
Stewart says he leaves Buckie with no regrets, but would have liked to have won more silverware.
During his tenure the Jags twice finished second in the league and were also defeated in four cup finals.
He said: “Winning the league this year having built another team was the biggest highlight.
“After winning the league seven years ago that team was decimated by injuries and we had to go again and build the team we’ve got now.
“The team we’ve got now is the best I’ve had and hopefully that team sticks together and goes on to be even more successful.
“They can be proud of what they achieved, everything was against them this season with the fixture backlog they had, but they thoroughly deserved to win the league.
“It’s been a great 10 years and there are no regrets.
“I think we should have won more, I felt we should have won the league last year which stuck with me.
“We also could have won more cups, but we were either unlucky or not good enough on the day in those finals.
“I wanted to bring more success to Buckie, but winning the league twice is pretty good.
“I’m proud of what we achieved and it will live with me forever.”
