Darlaston Town 'reluctantly accept' resignation of manager Dean Gill

The news was announced after a meeting of the club's board of directors and committee on Wednesday morning, with Gill's near-five-year spell in charge of the Citizens coming to an end.

During his first season in charge, the club were promoted out of Step 6 after beating Stapenhill 2-1 in a play-off final, earning the right to play Step 5 football for the first time in their 150-year history.

Two seasons later, after a nine-game winning run at the end of the season, their campaign culminated in a 3-1 play-off final win at Lichfield City, earning a second promotion under Gill.

Following a seventh-place finish in the NPL Midlands Division during the club's first season at Step 4, they were subsequently moved laterally to the NPL West Division.

They have gone on to endure a difficult campaign, winning just four of their 15 games since the beginning of November, and find themselves in the relegation zone on goal difference at the time of Gill's departure.

"There comes a time when you just know, and today is that day," he said.

"It has been an unbelievable journey, and I can say hand-on-heart that I have given everything I have to this football club.

"I have huge gratitude to the people of Darlaston for the love and support shown to me over the past five years.

"I’ve made some incredible football friends, on and off the pitch, who have been with me every step of the way during my time at Darlaston. I owe you so much.

"I leave behind a team who are only a goal difference away from safety, and I have no doubt they have the credentials to survive and achieve what would be a football miracle.

"Football has been a huge part of my life, as a boy and as a man. I will take a break for as long or as short as it takes before my next job. If that comes tomorrow then so be it. If it’s never, then I can truly say I’ve had the best of times with some incredible people.
 
"Football has been a huge part of my life, as a boy and as a man, and that journey does not end today."

On Gill's departure, Darlaston Town interim chairman Anthony Fellows said: "It is with great unwillingness that we have this morning accepted the resignation of first team manager Dean Gill.

"Dean has done a fantastic job and taken the club to unthinkable levels in a relatively short period of time.

"His contribution to the club, both on and off the field, has been remarkable and has never received the plaudits it so rightly deserves.

"We wish Dean nothing but the best for the future whatever that may be."