Molyneaux: Lockdown to reflect, that’s why

Lee quits as Borough boss after just over a year in charge at Privett

Lee Molyneaux has revealed the reasons behind his decision to resign as Gosport Borough manager just over 12 months after taking the job.

The 37-year-old admitted lockdown had led him to do some serious soul searching following a tough managerial baptism at Privett Park.

Portsmouth-born Molyneaux is now ensuring that football does not get in the way of family – he has two young children – and his work with sportswear giant Nike.

‘It was a hard decision,’ he told The News. ‘But if I’m going to do something, I need to be totally dedicated, I need to give it my all. I wasn’t able to do that at Gosport.

‘The whole lockdown thing has given me time to reflect. I’ve enjoyed spending more time with my family, and that was a deciding factor too.’

‘If this hadn’t happened I’m not sure I would have had the time to reflect. I’m in a better state of mind now.’

Molyneaux has worked for Nike for around nine years, and his job can take him overseas. There were a couple of occasions in 2019/20 when he missed matches for that reason.

‘I actually travelled a lot less than I have before,’ he recalled.

‘That was another factor. I don’t want anything to get in the way of my career, that is my bread and butter, my job – football is just my enjoyment.

‘There were a lot of evenings and early mornings in order to get my work up to the required standard, so I could spend time at Gosport. It was like having two day jobs.

‘Friends have told me they could see it was affecting me. They don’t tell you that at the time, they don’t want to hurt your feelings. But they know why I was like that – it’s because I’m a winner and I can’t do anything halfheartedly. ‘I probably put myself under too much pressure. Early on I was trying to put things in place thinking things would ease up, but they don’t and you end up under even more pressure.

‘I probably took on a bit too much.’

There was no honeymoon period for Molyneaux when he was appointed Craig McAllister’s successor last May.

It was his third spell at Privett Park – he had previously helped Alex Pike win back-to-back Southern League promotions and reach an FA Trophy final in his first spell as a player before returning on loan from Hawks in 2017/18. When Molyneaux returned last year, Borough had just avoided relegation from the Southern Premier

Gosport had the third best defensive record in their division in 2019/20

League South by a single point – just 12 months after finishing second bottom but in a season when only the bottom club went down.

The glory days of promotions and a Wembley appearance seemed a very long time ago, even if they weren’t.

By the start of the season in early August, the manager had assembled a virtually new squad – leaning heavily on his Hawks contacts.

Molyneaux had been a coach at Westleigh Park under