Scole United chairman Christian Partridge on club's decision to part ways with manager Lee Sturgeon

Christian Partridge said it was a difficult decision for Scole United to part ways with manager Lee Sturgeon.

The departing boss had been in charge of the Fosters Solicitors Anglian Combination Premier Division side for three years, before leaving the club earlier this month.

Scole chairman Partridge has revealed the search for his successor has already begun, as well as highlighting their long-term plans to make improvements to the club on and off the pitch.

“I would say it was a difference in where the senior committee members felt the club could be going and where he wished to take it forward,” Partridge said.

“We sort of came to a mutual agreement that we were not going to achieve what we had set out to achieve initially and parted ways.

“It was a very difficult decision to make between us. I think it’s a little bit like with all grassroots football clubs, we’ve had a cycle of reasonable success and we’re possibly coming off the back of that now.

“It’s been difficult to continue to put out two teams and a raft of injuries has not helped, but I don’t think it’s common to Scole United.

“We are at a point where we’re trying to build the infrastructure of the club, which is going to take a few years.

“There are plans in place to improve the social side of things and we’re eventually hoping to improve the playing side of things and that’s probably part of a long-term plan.

“A few names have been mentioned (for Scole’s next manager) and we’re looking at potential people to come in.

“I’ve contacted one person and there’s another one potentially who is local to the area who we might approach as well.”

Marc Pearce, who was Sturgeon’s assistant manager, has stepped in to take charge of Scole in an interim role, and is being assisted by Alan Boulter.

The duo managed their first home game on Saturday, which saw Long Stratton strike late through Sam Page to win 1-0 and climb above them in the Premier Division table.

“We had four or five good chances to score and we should have scored before Long Stratton scored,” Partridge said.

“It’s been the story of the season where the results haven’t quite gone our way.

“I think it would only take a couple of those chances going in and I think it would lift the confidence.

“I think that would then catapult us up the league. We’ve only lost three or four games in the league this season. It’s the draws column which is stopping us from progressing up the table.”

Scole (10th) host UEA tomorrow (2pm).

Meanwhile, Long Stratton are in Ashtons Legal Norfolk Senior Cup action when they visit Fakenham Town tomorrow (3pm).

Fakenham play two leagues higher than Long Stratton in the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division.