Hayes & Yeading United hope to appoint a new manager tomorrow morning after Tristan Lewis stepped down from the top job at Beaconsfield Road.
United were knocked out of the FA Cup by lower league opposition on Saturday as Poole Town ran out 3-2 winners in a second qualifying round clash.
Six players were immediately shown the door with Aaron Lennox, Yado Mambo, Ben Gerring, Harry Grant, Brendan Kiernan and Jake Nicholson all departing.
But the biggest change came in the dugout as long-serving club stalwart Lewis agreed to give up the reins and will now focus on his role as director of football.
United were last night in advanced discussions with one candidate and the paperwork to confirm his replacement was set to be announced in a matter of hours.
The former boss made it clear that the decision to move aside was not based on performances on the pitch and had been in the pipeline for a number of weeks.
Lewis said: “Tony and I have been speaking about this for weeks. It wasn’t a results-driven decision, we just felt that people need to be focusing more on certain areas of the club. I was juggling lots of different roles and we’re trying to build a club and not just a team.
“I’ve always said that I never saw myself as a manager, I’ve always thought of myself as a team leader, and now is the time for an out-and-out manager to come in. I’ve got no ego and it’s not about me being manager of Hayes & Yeading.
“Regardless of whether we won or lost on Saturday, this was going to happen. We agreed that we’d get Saturday out of the way and although the result was disappointing, it in no way accelerated this process at all.
“There’s still 90 or so points to play for. When I took over last season we didn’t have long left. We’re not in the bottom three, we’re not in the crisis. This club is in a better place than it was three months ago and a much better place than it was three years ago. It’s an exciting time for the club.
“This is a chance for me to make a real difference. I’ll still be part of this club and I’m not running away. The players that are here are ones that I have a good relationship with. We just need a change to do what’s best for the club. I think it’s time for a change. It’s a step forward. I felt it needed to happen.”
United’s new manager should be in place to take charge of his first game as boss this weekend when Gosport Borough pay a visit to York Road.
