Axed co-manager Bobby Beckwith says he and co-boss Ronnie Sharp were confident they could have improved struggling Strathspey Thistle but “weren’t given a chance”.
The Grantown outfit have made the call to part company with their dugout duo, only appointed during the summer, after four Breedon Highland League defeats to start the new campaign.
Strathspey made more than 15 signings over the summer.
But, having finished bottom of the division in the last two campaigns, have already conceded 20 goals and only scored twice across their outings this term, leaving them without any points so far.
This slow start convinced new Jags owner, engineering firm boss Grant Mackellar, to wield the axe.
A reflective Beckwith thinks Strathspey’s early losses this season – 5-0 at Huntly, 7-0 at home to league-hopefuls Brora Rangers, 2-1 at Wick Academy and Saturday’s 6-1 reverse to Forres Mechanics – came too early to judge the management pair’s work.
Speaking to The Press and Journal, he said: “I was asked to come in and speak to the new owner on Wednesday, and he said my services weren’t required any more – mine and Sharpy’s – and that was it basically.
“It was totally out of the blue and I didn’t expect it at all. I honestly thought we would’ve been given more time.
“If anyone looks at the fixtures, and looks at the results we’ve had, they wouldn’t have expected anything different, with a group of players who have only been together for nine weeks now – and the squad hasn’t even been together that long.
“There’s still a lot of work to be done.
“We’ve had three bad results – you couldn’t say four.
“I think we were getting better, and we’ve had first-team players out injured for the first four games.
“Hey, that’s what happens in football – decisions are made by other people. But we’ve given it our best shot.”
‘Our recent performances have been disappointing’ – Strathspey owner
Sporting director Josh Horton and director of football Fraser Tulloch also came in at Strathspey as part of the club’s summer revamp, with their responsibilities including player recruitment and contracts, while Beckwith and Sharp were understood to be in charge of coaching, picking and running the team on matchdays.
Horton and Tulloch remain in place, with Mackellar – who took over as Jags CEO six weeks ago – saying in a statement the Seafield Park club’s search to bring in a new management team is under way.
The statement read: “Strathspey Thistle can today announce that it has parted company with Bobby Beckwith and Ronnie Sharp.
“As CEO of Strathspey Thistle, I have always held high expectations for our club.
“While our pre-season showed promise, our recent performances have been disappointing and have not met the standards we strive for.
“We are actively working on appointing a new management team.”
Beckwith: ‘I wish them all the best going forward’
Beckwith says the new owner appeared “happy” to have the duo on board when he took the reins, and the departed co-manager feels they “haven’t really got a good reason” why they have been sacked.
He added: “As I say, it was totally out of the blue for both me and Ronnie, and the players. I thought we were going in the right direction if we’d got the players back and had a full squad.
“We were confident that we would turn it round, but we weren’t given a chance.”
Beckwith thinks Strathspey will have a solution to their management vacancy lined up – something the P&J understands is the case – and wished the club all the best going forward.
He said: “I wish them all the best going forward whoever comes in.
“I think they’ll have plans to bring somebody else in.
“Whoever’s coming in will have to convince them they’ve got a better way of doing it. I don’t know.”
Strathspey only avoided a relegation play-off at the conclusion of last term – having ended the Highland League campaign 13 points adrift at the bottom – due to the North Region Juniors, Midlands League and North Caledonian League champions not holding the appropriate SFA licence.
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