Steve Watt explains decision to leave as Hythe Town boss with immediate effect; Cannons thumped 8-3 at Three Bridges in first match without Scot in charge despite Bradley Schafer’s hat-trick

Steve Watt has explained his decision to leave as Hythe boss with immediate effect.

Watt was due to step down at the helm of the Isthmian South East Cannons at the end of the season.

But he has now opted to move on immediately after Hythe’s thumping weekend 5-2 defeat at relegation-threatened Beckenham - a sixth straight loss - as they conceded three second-half goals before Frannie Collin converted a late penalty.

Watt said: “Looking at some of the players, you’re thinking ‘Are they just in cruise control now?’. Is it worth staying until the end of the season?

“Initially, I really wanted to do that. I wanted to stay until the end of the season, I wanted to finish on a high with the players, and finish on a high with the club, if you like.

“But then I looked at Saturday and just thought ‘Is that the right thing to do for the club?’. I just thought it wasn’t.

“I think the club needs to get someone in before the end of the season, so the players have got something to play for maybe - in terms of their futures at the club and what have you.

“After what happened on Saturday with some of the players, I just felt it was the right thing to do for the football club.

“The football club needed to look at making a change now, rather than waiting until the end of the season.

“I thought it would benefit the club in terms of giving my notice and maybe give the boys, not a lift as such, but maybe a case of ‘Look, I’m not going to be here next year. Let’s finish on a high’. But I just thought it seemed to have the opposite effect to that on Saturday.

“I thought it would be better for the club to accelerate that process of getting someone in. Maybe selfishly, I wanted to stay and see the season out, so I could say ‘bye’ to everyone at