Catlin feels betrayed by Gosport Borough

After a meeting with new chairman Iain McInnes and the club’s directors, the boss felt he had little choice but to walk away from Privett Park.

The new owners made a controversial start to their tenure by bringing back previous manager Alex Pike on Friday.

Catlin was offered the role of joint-boss but felt that was unacceptable and opted to leave the Southern League premier division outfit.

The fans’ favourite feels he has been badly let down after taking the reins when the club was in dire straits.

Catlin was appointed manager in September after previous chairman Iain Sellstrom sacked Pike with Borough propping up the table.

With the club under a transfer embargo, he was tasked with lifting them out of the sole relegation position.

And he achieved his target while Sellstrom ensured the restrictions limiting his squad size were lifted.

‘I feel like I have done all the dirty work and Alex Pike has just walked back in,’ said Catlin.

‘When I agreed to go back to the club I was made promises which have not been kept. Those included having the chance to get the club back to where it belongs.

‘It is disappointing not to get the chance to finish the job I started. I feel I have done all I could for the club which has virtually been ownerless.

‘For much of the time I have had to work with my hands tied behind my back.

‘I have learned more in the last three months as a manager than probably in the last 20 years but despite this I felt we were making progress.

‘We knew we weren’t going to win four or five games on the trot but we had games targeted we could win and I am confident we would have continued to edge our way up the table.

‘We did all this by patching up relationships with other clubs and using the loan market.

‘What has happened is all a bit of a pantomime. The support I have received even since I left has been fantastic.

‘I would like to thank all the genuine supporters and the staff at the club because they have been amazing.

‘For their sakes, I hope the club regains its stability and moves forward.’

Catlin served as Pike’s assistant manager during Borough’s rise to the National League South.

The club stalwart also led the team out at Wembley for their FA Trophy final with Cambridge United in 2014.

Since The News revealed the shake-up on Friday there has been a barrage of criticism levelled at the new owners.

Pike’s reinstatement has left fans in a state of disbelief and many have taken to social media to air their frustrations.

A large number of Borough fans believe Pike, who was a director as well as manager, was a key factor in the financial troubles which blighted the club.

The Privett Park outfit crashed out of the National League South last season as staff and players walked out amid the chaos.

Pike begins his second spell as Borough boss at fellow strugglers St Ives on Saturday (3pm).