Lines exits as Rams decide it's time for change

Gary Lines has left his role as director of football and a committee member at Love Lane after the club’s committee decided that the role was not working.

Petersfield head to Northwood tomorrow in Ryman League division one central with 16 league matches remaining to rescue their season.

And changes have been made after the director of football title was brought in when Lines joined the club to assist then first team manager Andy Neal in September.

Lines took control of first team matters for a short while when Neal stepped down from his post before helping to recruit current manager John Robson.

Chairman Graeme Moir said the committee felt it was time to change the football management structure.

‘There were issues and problems with the way the director of football role was working in the club which we felt had to be addressed,’ said Moir.

‘The football management side of things as a unit was not working smoothly so we felt we needed to look at the different roles within the club and how they were functioning.

‘As we have publicly said in our official statement, we thank Gary for all of the hard work he put in for the club both on and off the pitch.

‘However, the committee felt it was time for a change and we have acted accordingly.’

The Rams realistically need at least eight victories from those remaining games and the players have not given up on that target yet.

Moir added: ‘We have made the changes we thought were necessary on the football management side of the club and it is now time to push on.

‘John Robson and his assistant Matt Collins are fully in charge of first team matters, they have mine and the committee’s total support and we will do what we can to help them to start getting some wins on the board.

‘The changes have been fully discussed internally and everyone knows what the situation is and where we must now push forward. The concentration must now be on preparing fully for the games ahead.

‘We are in a bad situation but it is not yet an impossible one. The players are good enough – they have shown that by the fact we are in all of our matches – but we now need to find those few extra percentages that will turn performances into points.’