Keith Scott resigns as manager of Windsor FC

By Rob Stevens • Published 3 Sep 2012 10:12 0 Comments

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KEITH Scott has resigned as manager of Windsor FC following the withdrawal of the playing budget for the remainder of the season.

Scott's decision comes as no surprise with his relationship with chairman Kevin Stott at breaking point.

Stott - who is also the football club's founding director - has announced the finances will be redirected on the regeneration of Stag Meadow in order to create self-sustaining income streams.

Stott is expected to reveal the club's new manager on Wednesday, although Scott will take charge of the team for Saturday's FA Cup first qualifying round tie against Didcot Town at Stag Meadow on Saturday.

In a press release issued earlier today (Monday), Stott said: "I realised that as a club we had lost our way a bit and were in danger of becoming a little too focused on the first team at the expense of our primary objective of creating a self-sustaining football club.

"This will not only allow us to inspire the next generation but the next 50 years of footballers in Windsor and the surrounding area.

"There are now 36 teams playing under the Windsor FC badge from the age of six years upwards and the Stag Meadow regeneration plan could see all of them playing with the intelligent installation and utilisation of the latest artificial playing surfaces."

He continued: "We set a competitive first team budget on the back of a business plan that showed self-sustaining income streams being generated through the installation and hiring out of artificial 3G Pitches.

"Despite everyone's best efforts we still have some way to go before we can realistically expect these pitches and income streams to be in place.

"I committed to fund the new club's start-up costs and playing budget for the first season only because we were determined not to re-create a club reliant on a 'benefactor' for its future.

"Whilst we have made good progress in terms of the plans for the regeneration of Stag Meadow it's proved much more time consuming that we at first thought and the club is still someway away from being able to comfortably support a progressive self-sustaining playing budget.

"We have taken the view that our management and financial resources would be best spent at this time on the regeneration of the Stag Meadow in order to create the self-sustaining income streams.

"Once this is achieved and our legacy is in place we can then revisit the plan to create a flagship first team that will also help inspire the footballers of the future."

Stott went on: "In light of the above and after much discussion and no little heartache we have taken the decision to withdraw the footballing budget for the remainder of the season.

"I had a meeting with the players after Saturday's game (6-0 win against Croydon) to explain the situation and it's now up to them if they decide to stay or go.

"If they stay - they stay we our blessing - if they go they go with our blessing. In any event they have committed to fulfil next Saturday's FA Cup tie against Didcot Town.

"I've also spoken with Keith (Scott) who has decided that next Saturday will be his last game in charge. I would like to go on record to thank Keith and Jim Melvin for their contribution to date.

"It was no mean feat to achieve the runners up spot in the Combined Counties League Premier Division during our first season as a club."

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