Departing manager Joe Conneely has penned a message to Hinckley AFC supporters after stepping down following five years at the club.
After 210 games as either manager or assistant, Conneely feels now is the right time to step away and let a new manager come in.
“I feel like I’ve taken this job as far as I can, so it’s the right time to step away. I’ve had a feeling about this for a few days and you should always go with your gut. We achieved what we set out to when I joined all those years ago. I can look back and think I’ve done a good job, having helped get the club out of step six after 10 years.
“Last year was extremely difficult, especially towards the end. We struggled to get players in when we had lots of injuries in March and April, and we probably overachieved in finishing ninth. We set a target to get into the play-offs but that was always going to extremely hard with what we were up against. This year we’ve improved after a really bad start, but the sense was growing that it was the right time for me to leave.
“I’m gutted, and I love the club, but I’ve left on brilliant terms having shaken hands with the Board. This is an unbelievable club, and the club should always come first, but resources are hard compared to what other clubs have nearby. I feel like it’s time for someone else with new enthusiasm and a fresh voice to take it on.
“I want to thank everyone at the club – all the players, staff, fans, volunteers and the Board of Directors, who backed me and put their trust in a young manager. When you leave a club, you just want to leave it in a better place than you found it and I feel like I’ve definitely done that.
“I want to wish the club, and you the supporters who have made my time here so enjoyable, all the very best for the future.”
