Chairman Tony O’Driscoll has already started the search for Hayes & Yeading’s new manager ahead of the club’s expected relegation.

A crushing 3-0 defeat to Bath City in the penultimate game of the Conference South season means that United will go down this weekend barring a miracle.

Even if Hayes & Yeading can beat Gosport in their final fixture, St Albans City’s vastly superior goal difference ensures only Havant & Waterlooville can now escape.

Manager Garry Haylock paid the price for United’s demise over the weekend as he agreed to step down from his post by mutual consent after talks with O’Driscoll.

The search is now on for Haylock’s replacement and two names are already in the frame for the vacant position as assistant manager Tristan Lewis takes control on Saturday.

O’Driscoll said: “We’ve got time to try and get the right manager in. It hasn’t been good the last few managers, so at least we’ll have a bit of time and we won’t rush into confirming anything. There’s no guarantees any manager will work out.

Hayes & Yeading get that sinking feeling after Bath defeat in pictures:

“There are a couple of people we’d like to talk to straight away to find out if they are the right person for the job. If they are the right person then they’ll have all summer to get the players that they want in.”

Haylock, who was in his second stint as United boss, took the decision on the chin after coming to a joint decision with O’Driscoll at York Road after the Bath defeat.

He admitted results had not reached the standards both he and the club had come to expect and is gutted to now list a first relegation on his managerial CV.

Haylock said: “The last time I was there we had a lot of success, but that took a while and a lot of hard work. I wasn’t going to be able to come in and just wave a magic wand and make it all better.

“I had a chat with Tony and we decided it was best to go our separate ways. Things didn’t go the way I had wanted and they hadn’t gone the way Tony wanted either. It was the natural thing to do.

“There is no individual responsibility, except with me. I picked the players and put the team out so I have to accept responsibility. I did it with the counsel of my staff but I’d be stupid not to use them.

Skrill Conference South - Hayes & Yeading United FC vs Tonbridge Angels FC
Man at the top: Tony O'Driscoll

“It’s Tony’s club and he wants things done a certain way. We’ve parted on good terms. I’m sad to see the club relegated. I had one relegation as a player and now I’ve got one on my CV as a manager and it’s very disappointing.”

Immediate changes to the playing squad are expected for Saturday’s final game at Gosport, with stand-in boss Lewis to promote four U18s players to the first-team.

Elsewhere, the curtain came down on the Southern League Division One Central for the borough’s clubs.

Northwood, who still have the Middlesex Senior Cup final to look forward to, signed off with a draw against Aylesbury thanks to a late Rob Hastings goal.

Uxbridge ended the campaign on a high with a 1-0 win over Aylesbury Town at Honeycroft as Anthony O’Connor got the only goal of the game.

AFC Hayes went down 1-0 to Farnham at the Memorial Ground in the Combined Counties Premier Division.

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