By Mark Carruthers
Northern Premier League promotion challengers South Shields have announced they have parted company with manager Graham Fenton.
The surprise news was confirmed on Sunday morning – less than 24 hours after the Mariners moved to within five points of the top of the Premier Division table with a 2-0 home win against Radcliffe.
A statement released on the club website read: “South Shields FC can announce that the decision has been made to relieve Graham Fenton of his first-team management responsibilities, and he will now begin a period of gardening leave.
“Academy manager Wess Brown will take charge of the squad on an interim basis while the club undergoes the process of identifying and appointing Graham’s successor.”
Fenton joined the Mariners in September 2016 after a highly-successful spell in charge of then-Northern League rivals North Shields.
The transition across the Tyne followed a similarly successful pattern as Fenton joined forces with Lee Picton to leave South Shields to a remarkable quadruple in their first season in charge.
The Northern League Division One title, Durham Challenge Cup and Northern League Cup were all claimed before the Mariners eased to a 4-0 FA Vase Final win against Cleethorpes Town.
A third consecutive promotion took the club into the Northern Premier League Premier Division in 2018 and they have battled to try and continue their march through the non-league pyramid ever since.
However, a play-off defeat against Warrington Town and two seasons prematurely ended by the Covid-19 pandemic has left them stuck in the third tier.
After making the momentous decision to move to a full-time professional status this summer, the Mariners were expected to lead the charge for promotion into the National League North this season.
However, results have been mixed and they currently sit in third place in the table, a point behind second placed Bamber Bridge and a further four points behind leaders Matlock Town.
Club chairman Geoff Thompson paid tribute Fenton and hailed the “huge contribution” he had made during over five years at the club.
He said: “This has been an extremely difficult decision to make.
“Ultimately, results and performances have not met our expectations this season given the investment made in the first-team and the club’s ambition.
“I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to Graham for all the tireless work he has dedicated to the club since his arrival in 2016.
“His long list of achievements, coupled with the huge contribution he has made to the club’s overall growth over the last five-and-a-half years, will never be forgotten.
“He leaves the club in a far better place than when he arrived.”
