(Picture: The National League)
By Adele Matthews
The departure of Alan Lewer and Mark Wright may not have come as a shock to some Southport fans after five consecutive losses sent them spinning down the National League North table.
The Sandgrounders have not had a first team manager remain for a term since 2006, and 2017 will see their fourth appointed manager in a single year.
So, what do the fans think about the latest managerial switch at Haig Avenue?
Well, naturally, the loyal fans are frustrated with some already looking to the 2018/19 season. Indeed, one fan suggested the current season was a “write off’, and added: “All we can do is consolidate and build ready for a huge season next season.”
Nevertheless, Matt Thomas, who has supported the Sandgrounders for 12 years, remains “quietly optimistic” for the future, despite accepting “most supporters are united in their disappointment” of their recent run.
And then there’s the question as to who would replace Lewer in the hot seat. A Twitter poll of possible candidates highlights that the fans wish for an up-and-coming, lower-league boss, rather than an older, experienced manager.
One fan, sgreen1234 on the forum ‘Port Chat’, wrote: “We don’t need someone who is going to be here 5 minutes, we need someone who shares the idea of getting us back where we belong. He needs to be supported by the board and the fans to see it through.”
Fans have also had their say on the possibility of a former manager making a return to Haig Avenue. Out-of-work Gary Brabin, Stalybridge Celtic boss Steve Burr and Warrington’s Paul Carden have all been speculated, with mixed responses, but seem unlikely to return to the hotseat.
However, @SaveSouthportFC, went one step further by suggesting it wasn’t the manager’s position that needed tampering with, but the board’s itself.
The account said: “The club continue to ignore us in their bid to volunteer their services. There must be a change of chairman immediately – one the fans respect and who respects the fans.”
