WITH his team seemingly doomed to be relegated, Cirencester Town's manager says he will offer to resign at the end of the season.
Neil Hards spoke with searing honesty after two 3-1 defeats, over Easter Bank Holiday weekend, virtually consigned the Centurions to relegation from the Southern League Premier Division.
Having lost 12, drawn three and won one of their past 16 matches, Cirencester are in the relegation zone.
They are one place and three points above bottom club, Northwood, who have three games in hand.
Seven points from safety, Town could potentially get nine points from their remaining three games. However, the two teams immediately above them each have a game in hand.
Hards succeeded Brian Hughes, as Cirencester's manager, shortly before the start of this season.
He said he would offer his resignation at a meeting with Town chairman, Steve Abbley, this week.
Hards said: "It's a results-driven industry and we've conceded the most goals, we've scored the least and we've lost over half our games.
"I will offer to stand down at the end of the season. That's the right thing to do because I haven't done a very good job. I'm not one to make excuses.
"If we are bottom of the league, that's down to me. You can't put any gray areas on it; it's either black or white. If you do a crap job, you usually get booted out the door.
"I'm a friend of Steve's. I've been his friend for 25 years and I don't want to put him in an awkward situation. He's one of the nicest guys in football."
However, he said he would not give up while survival remains mathematically possible.
He said: "We'll keep plugging away. It's against my nature to admit defeat. It's a long shot but we've got a chance."
Hards said Town did not play well away to Tiverton Town and "looked a beaten team" at home to Gloucester City.
Hards said it was inevitable that Scott Griffin would score for Gloucester after acrimoniously leaving Cirencester earlier this season.
Hards said: "That's the way football goes. We had a chat after the game; we spoke before the game. Scott didn't gloat or make a meal of it."
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