‘It was a tough decision’ – Pat Suraci on why he quit as Petersfield Town co-boss to take up coaching role at Gosport Borough

In the run-up to Christmas, Suraci was appointed first-team coach by Gosport Borough director of football Mark Molesley.

He had been helping Molesley out at training ever since the former Southend and Aldershot boss arrived at Privett Park towards the end of last month.

The pair were hardly strangers - Suraci twice being signed as a player by Molesley during the latter’s time in charge of Weymouth, once in the Southern League and once in the National League South.

Suraci will continue to head up Gosport’s centre of excellence - coaching their St Vincents College squad on a daily basis - while also taking the AFC Bournemouth under-15s a couple of times a week.

He must also find time in his packed schedule to work on his Masters course in football coaching, currently in its second (and final) year.

Suraci’s co-boss at Petersfield - his former Boro colleague Joe Lea - has decided to stay with the Wessex League club despite also being offered the chance to join Molesley’s backroom staff.

‘My heart and mind were set on Petersfield,’ Suraci told The News. ‘I was fully focussed on them and just helping out at the club (Gosport).

‘It was a tough decision (to leave Petersfield), it wasn’t one I made straight away.

‘But I work at the club pretty much full time, I live in Gosport, I’ve got a good relationship with the chairman (Iain McInnes), so it made sense.’

Under Suraci and Lea, Petersfield had emerged as one of the Wessex League’s most improved teams in 2022/23.

‘We were building a good squad, I was really enjoying our performances,’ said Suraci. ‘There was a good feel around the club, I felt we’d changed the environment - and we’d already won as many games as they had in the whole of last season.’

Suraci made his dugout ‘debut’ for Boro in their 3-1 Boxing Day defeat at fellow Southern League Premier South strugglers Hartley Wintney.

It was a first loss for Molesley, who had previously overseen wins against Tiverton and Merthyr - compared to Boro picking up just one point in 10 games prior to his arrival.

Gosport lost in-form striker Brett Williams, who had scored five times in his first four outings, early on in north Hampshire en route to a 3-1 loss.

Suraci said: ‘It’s always a difficult place to go, a difficult pitch. I didn’t think the scoreline reflected the game.

‘We conceded a sloppy goal and a silly penalty when we were in control, and that killed the momentum we had.’

Gosport are in a relegation battle and Suraci added: ‘We’ve not really met expectations, considering the squad we’ve got.

‘We’ve not got the results we should have and could have got, but performances have improved since Moles came in and there were little glimpses of that at Hartley Wintney.’