GARY ROBERTS STEPS DOWN AT CAMBRIDGE
GARY ROBERTS’ focus will be on nursing his wife Jo back to full health after quitting as Cambridge City manager following 13 years of service – but he has vowed to help find his replacement.
It’s a new era for the Lilywhites with the Southern Premier club under new leadership for the first time since 2003.
Legendary Roberts said there were a few factors behind his decision, but with his wife in the middle of intense chemotherapy after cancer was discovered, his priorities must lie at home.
He also had concerns about the club’s delay of a decision on their playing budget and pointed to a “lack of backbone” last term – something he wasn’t confident would be resolved after criticising players’ behaviour in the close season.
Roberts could move upstairs with a new role being debated at homeless City and he will be a part of the taskforce who will select his successor.
He told The NLP: “I felt the time was right. My wife is going through a very important time in her life first and foremost. She has had surgery but as everyone knows cancer is a demanding disease and it’s pushed me.
“Jo was keen for me to continue but I’ve never been the type of person to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes, if I can’t give it 100 per cent I just can’t do it.
“It’s not the only factor. There was no budget set and although it seems to have been resolved now, trying to keep players and sign new ones became a bit debilitating. If I hadn’t had the summer I had who knows, but the last two months has brought it all home to me.
“Last season the players failed to come up with what was required of them, they didn’t have the backbone and we struggled and if I am being honest their behaviour, some of them, has been a bit disappointing in the close season.”
So, it’s a question of who next for a club used to the same man in their dugout for 13 years – and the job comes with a warning.
Challenge
“Whoever gets it will need to have contacts, good contacts, as it’s not an easy situation to manage,” Roberts, 57, said. “He will need a lot of drive as it’s a real challenge at the moment with the new stadium still some way down the line.
“I’ll help find the right person, I’ll offer what advice I can. There’s discussions to be had about me coming on board in a different role so we’ll see where that ends up. If I can take some of the workload off the new manager then great.”
Roberts will oversee pre-season until a new manager is announced and chairman Kevin Satchell paid tribute to him.
“His dedication, loyalty and commitment has produced a number of memorable moments and considering the off-field troubles that have formed a backdrop, he has provided stability,” he added.