Girdler goes - and Chichester City are back in crisis mode

Chichester City are facing a new crisis after long-serving manager Adie Girdler quit '“ and some of the players decided to go with him.

Girdler resigned hours after City had secured their first Sussex League first-division victory for several months by beating fellow strugglers St Francis Rangers 4-0 at Oaklands Park on Saturday.

It was because the board would not give him any assurances over his long-term future in the job.

Girdler had brought a number of players to the cash-strapped club during the season and it appears his resignation was followed by a number of the more recent recruits deciding they didn’t want to stay.

Tuesday night’s league visit to Horsham YMCA was called off because they couldn’t put out a team, with the home side awarded the three points – which incensed Worthing United, who are scrapping with Horsham YMCA to avoid the drop.

Chichester City yesterday insisted they would fulfil all their remaining fixtures.

City chairman Oliver Adnan said Girdler’s resignation followed a frank discussion after Saturday’s win.

Girdler said the job he was leaving had become an impossible one for anyone to do with no money being injected into the club.

The development is another blow to a club who hit national headlines 18 months ago when they sacked manager Mark Poulton in a phone call during a game after just four months in the job. That led to Girdler’s return to a club he had been involved with since 1996 but from which he had been sacked before Poulton took over. They have struggled for finances, partly because of problems getting a new clubhouse up and running.

A statement by Adnan said: “Various members of the board of directors, acting on behalf of the wishes of the board, met with the first-team manager Adie Girdler after the home game with St Francis Rangers.

“Following a open and honest discussion regarding the season so far, the prospects for the remainder of the season and our expectations for the 2012-13 season, Adie decided to resign from the position of first-team manager.

“First-team affairs will be handled by internal club staff until an appropriate replacement can be found.

“Chichester City FC would like to thank Adie for his immense commitment to the club over many years and during some very difficult times over the past 18 months.”