Jack Midson comments on his Sheppey United departure as manager and the club’s chief executive Shelley Holtam responds – assistant Jono Richardson and coach Simon Beard have also left

Jack Midson says his decision to walk away as manager of Sheppey United was tough.

The Isthmian South East side announced Midson’s surprise departure on Friday morning, following a meeting between the manager and chairman Matt Smith the day before.

Midson had until recently combined first-team player-management duties with running the post-16 academy through his coaching company, in partnership with the Cornwallis Academy in Maidstone.

Sheppey had to change their education provider after funding was withdrawn from Cornwallis Academy at the end of last month, agreeing to a partnership instead with Soccer Elite. Midson was happy to stay on as first-team manager, willing to focus on improving last year’s standing which saw the Ites finish just outside the play-offs.

Midson said: “I stepped down on Thursday, there were a few issues from the academy stuff that changed quite drastically. I wasn’t 100% happy with how that was handled.

“I am professional enough to split the jobs between the academy and first team as normal, but it seemed to run over with that and there were a few issues unexpectedly, which I couldn’t see why or how.

“I was really gutted to come away from a squad we were building, but there were certain things which I couldn’t sit and take, for my own sanity I needed to come away from the place.

“I thoroughly enjoyed my time there, I do thank everyone. I was given my first manager’s role at Sheppey and I will be forever thankful for that, but I wasn’t happy to fall in line anymore with stuff I don’t agree with.”

Last season the Ites narrowly missed out on a play-off place. Midson had taken over as manager on the eve of the season after the sudden departure of quadruple-winning boss Ernie Batten.

“I thoroughly