Pic: Petersfield Town FC
JOHN ROBSON has been relieved of his managerial duties at Petersfield Town – just a month after rejoining the Southern League Central club.
The highly-experienced boss was announced as Petersfield’s new manager last month, returning for his second spell in charge of the Rams having helped the club into the Ryman League back in the 1980s.
However, the ex-Gosport Borough, Winchester City, Andover Town, Blackfield and Langley, Worthing and Dover chief has lasted just four weeks at the helm.
Robson had won one and lost three of his league games in charge before being sacked this week, leaving the Rams to turn to Gary Lines as their fourth manager in three months.
Ian Saunders moved to Winchester City on the eve of the new season before his replacement, Andy Neal, stepped down following a tough start to the campaign.
Robson was next up but he only lasted a month and Lines has now been tasked with guiding the Rams out of the Southern Central relegation zone.
Petersfield chairman Graeme Moir said: “I can confirm that John Robson was stood down from the first team manager’s duties on Monday evening.
“The decision was taken due to the general situation within the club. Things were not developing in the way we had hoped they would – I am not going to go into the full details of this in public other than to say that the situation required myself and the committee to look at what was going on and make a decision on the future direction of the football side of the club.
“Action was required in my opinion and again we have done what we feel will give us the best possible chance of not only moving away from the bottom end of the table but to look at reaching mid-table stability by the end of the campaign.
“I want to make it very clear that our decision is not in any way a reflection on the ability or experience John has brought to the manager’s role in his time at Petersfield Town FC.
“He is one of the most well respected figures in Non-League football in the area and from our dealings with him, I can say that this is a title that is well deserved.”
