Ossett United search for new manager after Wayne Benn departs

Benn guided Ossett into a top four spot in the Pitching In Northern Premier League East in the early months of the 2021-22 season, but a recent poor run has seen them drop out of the play-off places.

United chairman James Rogers explained: "“It is with regret that Wayne Benn and the club mutually agreed to part company with immediate effect.

"Wayne leaves with our thanks for his tireless work at Ingfield since his appointment in November 2019, joining the club at a very difficult time off the field. We would also like to thank Andy Hayward and Jay Mellor as key members of Wayne’s management team."

Ossett beat Prescot Cables 3-2 in Benn’s first game in charge, ending a winless streak of eight games. The 2019-20 season, saw the club sitting in 18th place when the season was null and void in March 2020.

The summer of 2020-21 saw a further overhaul of the squad and the club suffered a number of injuries throughout the short season, which lasted only eight games due to the global pandemic.

After a much disrupted 18 months there was renewed expectation at the club with the off field issues under control and the playing budget increased to a level where the club was expecting to be challenging at the upper reaches of the division.

Rogers said: "The season started well and the playing squad has been invested in further, but a down turn of results, and performances have led to the decision to make a change to the management structure.

"We will now undertake a thorough process to appoint a new manager and welcome applications from interested parties. Anyone interested please email is at [email protected]

"Whilst we recruit a new manager we have tasked senior players Ross Killock and James Walshaw to take temporary charge.”

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Wayne Benn said: "We fully understand and respect the decision made by the board.

"We have been in football a long time and we understand that it’s a results business and we have to accept that the performances and results just haven’t been good enough over the last couple of months. This is all the more frustrating for everyone after getting off to such a positive start.

"We so desperately wanted to be the guys who brought this club the success it deserves but unfortunately it wasn’t to be for us. It certainly wasn’t for a lack of effort, we can look in the mirror and know that we have given everything but unfortunately on this occasion it wasn’t enough

"You know by now we are honest, hard working guys and we don’t make or look for excuses so we won’t start now.

"We have had fantastic backing from the chairman and the board from day one, everything we have asked for we have been given and the club is run by some very special people who we have the utmost respect for. They weren’t just our bosses, some have become good friends.

"We have also had unbelievable support from our very special group of fans and volunteers lots of who we also consider friends. You really are something else and are a huge part of what makes the club so unique.

"The way you have all welcomed us and our families is something we will never forget."

Benn continued: "There are too many people to thank individually in one statement but I will try and message as many people as I can in the coming days.

"Finally thank you to the players, it has been a pleasure working alongside you over the last couple of years and I really believe that you can still achieve the objectives we set together at the start of the season.

"You are still very much in the play-off race and there is still plenty of games and time to get that challenge back on track. Keep pushing and go out and get what your talent and ability deserves.

"It has been a privilege working for this fantastic football club over the last two years and when it’s not so raw I will be back on a regular basis as I now consider myself a huge fan of OUFC.

"Please stay safe and to each and every one of you and your families Merry Xmas.”

Caretaker bosses Walshaw and Killock, meanwhile have quickly got to grips with their new roles, having spoken to each member of the squad as well as looking to bring in some new faces to strengthen ahead of the next game at Tadcaster Albion on Monday (kick-off 1pm).

United have received a number of high quality applications for the role as permanent manager and are in the process of reviewing them with interviews to take place in due course.