Paul Doswell takes up new role at Hawks as Jamie Collins replaces him as manager at Westleigh Park

It is a move that Doswell, who had been in charge since May 2019, said was ‘going to happen at the end of the season’.

But the switch has been brought forward following a series of poor results, culminating in Wednesday’s 2-1 home loss to St Albans.

That made it just one point from the last five National League South games. In all, Hawks have banked just 18 points from their last 17 league fixtures.

Despite that run, Hawks remain in the play-off zone ahead of this weekend’s trip to Dulwich Hamlet - the only club below them in the form guide based on the last six results of all clubs in the division.

‘It’s a decision which we have been looking at for the last six months, and it was going to happen at the end of the season,’ said Doswell.

‘We have been pushing and promoting Jamie through the ranks, and we all felt it was the right time for Jamie to come in now.

‘It is the last 11 games, there is 25% of the season to go, to make sure we make the play-offs.’

Collins, who had been player coach, said: ‘For me, it was a no brainer. I have got a long affiliation with the club – it was the first non-league team I played for. It is an opportunity I couldn’t turn down.’

Ian Baird will continue as assistant manager.

Hawks CEO Stuart Munro added: ‘This is a very positive move for the football club. You don’t bring someone like Jamie Collins into this football club two years ago and not have a plan.

‘We are very pleased that Paul has agreed to stay on as Director of Football, and one of Jamie’s conditions was to ensure Paul was still around the football club to support and help him in his new role.’

Doswell was recently given a 12-match touchline ban by the Football Association for comments made to Ebbsfleet manager Dennis Kutrieb in the early weeks of the 2021/22 season.

That followed a six-game touchline ban for comments to Kutrieb at Westleigh Park the previous February – when both managers were sent off in what was the last game of the NLS season prior to its abandonment in the wake of a funding crisis during the pandemic.

Doswell had served three matches of that 12-game ban, with the rest now meaningless.

Overall, Doswell won 58, drew 30 and lost 35 of his 123 NLS games in charge of Hawks. His win percentage in the league was 47 per cent.

In his first season, 2019/20, Hawks were lying second - three points behind Wealdstone having played a game more - when the campaign was halted in mid-March by the pandemic.

On hosting Dartford in the play-off semi-final the following July, Hawks let slip a 1-0 lead to lose 2-1. Josh Taylor’s red card for retaliation, when Hawks were leading, remains a classic ‘what if?’ story.

Last season Hawks would have made the play-offs again had they avoided defeat against Chippenham at Westleigh Park in their final game. Instead they lost 2-0 and the Wiltshire club leapfrogged them into seventh spot.

This season Hawks won nine and drew two of their opening NLS fixtures, the best start to a campaign in the club’s history. But Collins takes over with Hawks having only won nine of their last 25 league games.