Nelson to leave Lewes – boss lands National League South manager’s role

Nelson, who took up his role with Lewes in May 2024, will depart the Dripping Pan after the final match of this season, a home fixture against Cray Wanderers on Saturday, April 26.

He will then take the reins at Tonbridge, who are on course for a mid-table finish in National South and are currently being led by captain Scott Wagstaff after previous manager Jay Saunders left at the end of March.

Saunders’ departure was hastened after backlash to a statement from Angels that the 46-year-old had accepted the manager’s role next season at Folkestone Invicta.

Nelson, meanwhile, will remain with Lewes until the end of the season, with four matches left at the time of writing.

Having arrived from Southern Counties East Football League side Glebe – who play two divisions below Lewes – last summer, Nelson has overseen a tricky spell in the club’s history.

He had to build a backroom team and a new first-team squad in a matter of weeks, with only midfielder Marcus Sablier remaining from the squad previous manager Tony Russell led to an 8th-placed finish in 2022/23.

The club’s finances were affected by the relegation of their women’s team from the Women’s Championship, while subsequent challenges included long-term injuries to key players, the loss of in-form striker Gianluca Botti – coincidentally to Tonbridge Angels – and an FA charge of historical betting against captain Danny Bassett.

Despite this, Nelson has led the Rooks to a position of 13th in the Isthmian League Premier Division, with the potential of a top-half finish if they do well in their remaining matches.

Speaking exclusively to Sussex World, Nelson said: “It wasn't an easy decision, and it definitely wasn't a flippant one. I feel really connected to Lewes. It's been like a second home.

“I'm still feeling a bit heavy-hearted. I know Lewes means a lot to a lot of people, through the connections I’ve had with fans in the bar after games and other things.”

Rather than taking place through the traditional means of throwing his hat into the ring, Nelson explained that his move to Tonbridge emerged through an agent.

Nelson said: “Jay [Saunders] and I share the same agency, and they put me forward for it.

“It came out the blue, if I'm honest. It was very hard, too, because I don't want people to think that I'm leaving because I'm unhappy about anything. That is not the case.

“I was planning for next season [at Lewes] from late February, and I’d been putting the plans together and meeting the directors around what next year looks like. It was actually in the midst of all of that.”

Throughout the process, Nelson added that his conversations with both clubs were always open and honest.

Nelson said: “I informed [Lewes] about the first contact, and then I informed the club about the second contact, because it seemed a lot more serious.

“Then, the formal offer came in a couple of days ago, and I met with Lewes to go through it, and see what our cemented plans were. Then I had a very difficult decision to make.

“It’s been a quick transition, and it’s bittersweet, because I'm very fond of everybody and everything that's happened whilst I've been at Lewes. But it is, unfortunately, an opportunity that would have been very difficult to turn down.”

With Tonbridge Angels admitting they are likely to have a squad refresh after Saunders’ three-year tenure, Nelson’s experience in similar situations at Glebe and Lewes was clearly attractive.

Having initially had expectations of avoiding relegation this season, Nelson’s achievements in taking Lewes to a comfortable mid-table position caught the eyes of many.

“We were having a joke not too long ago, saying I might get known as ‘Pitts the Rebuilder’. Hopefully not, because I've had to go and do it at three different clubs!” said Nelson.

“They’re not unfamiliar settings. It's obviously another level, which is one of the biggest draws of being able to go and showcase what we're able to do at that higher level. But it's a very similar project. Almost identical, if I'm honest.”

Amid the move’s process, however, Nelson has stressed the importance of remaining in place at the Dripping Pan for the remaining fixtures of 2024/25.

“I wanted to make sure that I stayed until the end of the season, because it would be quite easy for people to look at it as ‘there’s not much to play for now’,” said Nelson.

“I don't think anybody that I've brought to the club, whether that be managers or players, is downing tools. We've got three points to play for in each game, and that's been the message since it looked as though we weren't going to reach the play-offs.

“The boys have knuckled down and put together some great wins. To bow out, the objective was always to get as many points as we could. That won't change.”

In addition, making an decision soon after offer arrived was at the forefront of Nelson’s mind.

“Part of the reason for me making the decision early was because as much as Tonbridge were keen, and I wasn't under any pressure to make a decision straight away, out of the best interests of Lewes, I wanted that to be as early as possible,” said Nelson. “It was important so they had the time, and I didn't leave them in the lurch.

“It's going to be a difficult transition period, but with the foundations we've laid and the progress that the club wants to make in the coming seasons, somebody should be able to go in and be much better off.

“It will attract loads of managers anyway, because it's such a fabulous club, but I think it should attract the right ambitious manager who wants to go in there and do great things.”

In the immediate term, Nelson is preparing Lewes for their final four matches of the season, when he confirmed they are looking for a top-ten finish. They begin their final fortnight of Nelson’s reign with a trip to Cheshunt this Saturday, with training this week having addressed the elephant in the room before knuckling down.

“My talk to the players on Tuesday, delivering the news, was a difficult one. I have a lot of them to thank for my success,” said Nelson.

“The aim for us now is four games and 12 points. That doesn't mean that we can go [to Cheshunt] and think that we've already got those points.

“We have to go there and work harder than we did at home, but we need to take the game to them and be positive, threaten the backline a little bit more. If we do that, we know that we've got goals in us.”

Cheshunt vs Lewes kicks off at 3pm this Saturday (12 April) at The Stadium (EN8 8RU). Either side of a final away fixture, Rooks fans will then have two more home games to bid farewell to Nelson – against Carshalton Athletic on Good Friday and against Cray Wanderers on Saturday 26 April.