The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Spalding United parted company with boss Chris Rawlinson after Saturday’s 1-0 Emirates FA Cup defeat at Brantham Athletic.
Rawlinson, who arrived at the club in the summer of 2016 as Dave Frecklington’s assistant before stepping up as number one in February 2017, has confirmed that he leaves by mutual consent.
He steered to club to a memorable third place in Evo-Stik NPL Fist Division South by the end of the 2016/17 season, only to miss out on promotion in an agonising play-off final defeat against Witton Albion.
The Tulips couldn’t quite match that feat last season, but still finished in a very respectable 13th place in his first and only full season as manager.
This time around, Rawlinson’s Spalding have made a relatively slow start with only one competitive win, but they’d only lost once in the league at the time of his surprise departure.
The former boss admitted that results haven’t been good enough to date, but feels he leaves the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field with the club in a much better position than when he arrived.
Rawlinson took to Twitter to say: “After discussions with the chairman it is with sadness that I have agreed to part ways with Spalding, the club are looking for a different brand of football and ultimately results haven’t been good enough to date.
“I feel I leave the club in a stronger position and with a vibrant youth development set-up which in time will move the club in the right direction.
“I just want to thank everyone connected with the club and wish every Tulip out there continued success.”
It is currently unknown who will take charge of the Tulips for their Evo-Stik League East Division game at Loughborough Dynamo on Tuesday night (7.45pm).
More to follow.
