Rock-bottom Racing Club axe Cranton

Cranton was informed of the decision at a hastily arranged committee meeting on Sunday.

Chairman Bob Dhillon said the committee had no alternative, with Racing Club adrift at the bottom of the Midland Combination Premier Division having failed to win any of their opening 12 fixtures.

“Based on results, after 12 games we’ve only got four points and we’re running out of games,” said Dhillon.

“It was a hard decision but we need an experienced manager to keep us in this league based on the business model we are working on.”

Dhillon, who was at Saturday’s 4-0 defeat at league leaders Heather St John’s along with club president Anne Mellor, said the commitee had still hoped to retain the services of Cranton, with a coaching role with the under-21s slated.

“Ryan has been offered other roles at the club but hasn’t come back to me.

“We were hoping he would build up his experience under a new manager and coach and once he had earned his spurs, he could come back as manager.”

“We have a talented squad, but we felt the experience wasn’t there to mould them into a team. On Saturday we didn’t see any guidance or experienced methodolgy in what was going on on the pitch.

“I want to thank Ryan for his contribution. He’s still got a contribution to make to the club if he wants to - I look after family members.”

Cranton appears certain to walk away from the club along with his father Bob, who was acting as the club’s football secretary.

The pair were instrumental in bringing in new sponsorship during the close season and helping upgrade the pitch at Hampton Road, while also supervising improvements to the club’s changing rooms.

In a 1,000-word statement, Cranton said he had been given assurances about his long-term future at the club by Dhillon only weeks before his sacking.

He also claims the committee was poised to take over team selection while retaining Cranton’s services as a coach, only to have a last-minute change of heart.

“Mr Dhillon spoke with our football secretary on Saturday evening and said that they [Dhillon, Mellor and vice-chairman Andy Cowlard) wanted to take team selection out of my hands and do it themselves.

“I was never going to agree to this when I was the manager and Mr Dhillon didn’t know the players’ names and has no football knowledge or experience.”

Cranton admits he had considered walking away from the troubled club, even before Sunday’s meeting, with match-day interference from the chairman continuing to undermine his position.

However, he says the experience he has gained since being appointed last November will stand him in good stead in any future management roles.

“I am certainly not bitter because I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off me.

“I am not upset with what happened but I am extremely disappointed with how it happened and the build-up to the sacking.

“Although it’s been tough it has also been an invaluable experience that will help me in the future.

“I genuinely wish the club all the best and hope that all involved learn some lessons from recent events; running a football club is different to running any other type of business.”

Dhillon, who is inviting potential successors to Cranton to contact him on 07854 266482, hopes to have an interim manager in place by tomorrow (Thursday).

Stockton manager Barry Shearsby and former Racers boss Mark Fenemore, who is currently at Coleshill, have already ruled themselves out.