Eastbourne Borough looking for new boss as Matt Gray goes
Matt Gray has paid the price for Eastbourne Borough’s poor start to the National League South season – and has left Priory Lane.
Gray took over from Adam Murray shortly after the end of last season but after a summer of huge changes to the squad, the man who took Sutton United into the Football League was unable to get the Sports firing.
They’d had success in the FA Cup, coming through two rounds to reach Saturday’s fourth qualifying round, but those were the only victories – as 10 league games brought five draws and five defeats, and only six goals scored.
There had been plenty of discontent at the start among the Borough fanbase – after last season saw Murray’s men near the top of the pile almost from the start to finish before they lost to Maidstone in the play-off semi-finals.
It means two of Sussex’s three National South sides have parted company with a manager in the past week – Chris Agutter left Worthing at the end of last week to take up the manager’s role at Sutton.
It was after 8pm on Tuesday evening when Borough issued a statement announcing Gray’s departure and that of his right-hand man Jason Goodliffe: “Eastbourne Borough Football Club can announce that they have parted company with First Team manager Matt Gray with immediate effect.
"The club would like to thank Matt for his efforts during his tenure in charge at The ReachTV Stadium and would like to wish him all the best for the future.
"Jason Goodliffe will also be departing the club as a result, and we would also like to wish him well in his future endeavours.
"Chris Day will be in charge of First Team matters on an interim basis. The club will be making no further comment at this time.”
Day is the club’s women’s team manager and could be in charge for Saturday’s Cup tie at home to Boreham Wood – when a place in the first round proper is up for grabs.
Fans will now be speculating about who the new boss will be – with ex-Worthing and York City boss Adam Hinshelwood likely to be among those talked about.
We’ll have more as we get it on this website and in Friday’s Eastbourne Herald.