‘Difficult decision’ – Hamm leaves Steyning Town job after league-cup double
Newly crowned Southern Comination League champions Steyning Town are looking for a new manager after the surprise resignation of Michael Hamm.
The man who guided the Barrowmen to the SCFL premier title and the Peter Bentley Cup has decided to step down to devote more time to his family after a successful but intense spell as boss.
It is a case of history repeating itself for the club – Kev Green stood down straight after guiding them to the SCFL title in 2024.
This time the club will aim to make a success of their promotion to the Isthmian League and not come back down again – but they will have to do it without Hamm as manager.
The club said: “It is with deep regret and much sadness that today we have accepted the resignation of our first team manager Michael Hamm due to personal reasons and family commitments.
“‘Hammy’ has led us through one of the most successful campaigns in our history, culminating in the league and cup double and promotion to step 4 for only the third time in our history.
"However it was not just about the results this season. It was also about the impact he had around the club, the culture he built in the dressing room, how he represented the club with dignity and class and his popularity with everybody at the club.
"We are pro-actively looking for ways to keep him involved at the club in a role that requires less time commitment than being the first team manager, which as we are all aware is incredibly time-consuming and onerous.
"We would like to place on record officially our sincere thanks to Hammy for everything he’s done for the club over the last 18 months, and we as a committee remain close and on good terms with Hammy, we hold him in very high regard and hope to see him at the club as we move forward next season.
"Although the timing is unfortunate, we remain committed as a club to pursue our long-term goals, one of which is the men’s 1st team being a sustainable Isthmian league team.
"The club is well run and is on a sound footing, and as a result our long-term plans remain the same. We will move swiftly to appoint a successor.”
Hamm said: “After a lot of soul searching, I’ve made the difficult decision to step down from my role as manager at Steyning.
"Over the last 18 months, this club has become a huge part of my life. I came in as assistant manager during one of the toughest periods the club has faced, suffering relegation, and I was proud to then take on the role as manager and help lead the club to a league and cup double.
"To experience both the lows and the highs makes the journey even more special to me. This decision has not been made lightly. The club is superbly run and they have supported me massively throughout my time here, and I’ll always be grateful for the trust, backing, and belief they showed in me given this was my first season as a manager.
"My ambition was to continue this journey and lead Steyning into the Isthmian League, because I truly believe that’s where this club belongs.
"But football asks a lot of you, and at this moment in my life, my family has to come first. Being based in Bognor has always meant a big commitment around football, with the travelling, late nights, and time away from home becoming harder to balance alongside family life.
"I have three young children and an incredible partner who have sacrificed so much throughout this journey. Football management doesn’t just affect the person in the role — it affects everyone around them.
"The missed evenings, weekends, family time, and the emotional highs and lows all come with it. My family have stood by me through every moment, supported me endlessly, and allowed me to give everything I could to this club. Now it’s time for me to give that same time and energy back to them.
"I want to thank the players, staff, volunteers, supporters, and everyone connected to the club for everything over the last 18 months. They have been unreal. I’m unbelievably proud of what we all achieved together, but even more proud of the relationships and memories built along the way – friends for life.
"I leave with nothing but love, respect, and gratitude for Steyning Town FC, and I’ll always be proud to have been part of this great club’s incredible journey. I know their success will continue and I look forward to watching this happen.”