PAUL Collicutt accused the Evesham United committee that sacked him of acting in a “short-sighted” manner and argued greater unity would be needed to deliver success.

Robins chairman Jim Cockerton met with Collicutt today to inform of the call made by the nine-strong executive at a meeting last night.

It comes at the end of a campaign in which United finished seventh in Southern League Division One South, eight points shy of the play-off places despite having been in contention until the penultimate game.

That was the worst finish under Collicutt who had presided over three play-off campaigns which finished in semi-final defeats to Larkhall Athletic, after extra-time at Salisbury and in a penalty shoot-out to Swindon Supermarine 12 months ago.

The Jubilee Stadium gaffer, who had come under fire from a handful of supporters on social media in recent weeks, argued he should have been given more time based on his record and having to contend with losing key players last summer.

“The powers that be voted me out, that’s football,” said Collicutt.

“I have had five good years and there are a lot of good people at Evesham. I would like to think of some of those people as friends.

“I have a lot of feeling for the club and I cannot speak highly enough of the supporters and the rapport I had with most of them.

“I am bitterly disappointed and hurting. I could say so much more but as you get older you realise some things are more important than football and the harsh reality is life goes on.

“I did the job for the right reasons and would like to think the club has moved forward since I have been there. This season has not been the best but I have been bombed because we finished seventh.

“Close friends said I would shoot myself in the foot because of the good years and the expectation level getting higher.

“In the previous four seasons we did better but all of that goes out of the window and I think some people have been pretty short sighted.

“We had a turnover of 10 players in the summer and these things don’t happen overnight. It doesn’t just click.

“Unfortunately things happened over the season with injuries. When you take it apart, we flattered to deceive here and there but it would have been nice for the club to stand by me.

“Seventh isn’t good enough for some people. Evesham do not have a divine right to be at the top of the table season after season, that’s not the way football works.

“I am the first to admit – and I will take the criticism for it – that we have underachieved this season but there have been reasons for it.

“I would have liked a bit of faith based on what I had done at the club, to at least have been given until Christmas but I had that taken away from me by a committee decision.

“I thank Evesham for an enjoyable five years and genuinely feel it can push on but the one thing they need to be is united across the board. Until that happens they will stay the way they are, unfortunately.”

Asked whether the level of expectation had been fair at Evesham, Collicutt replied: “Expectation comes with success. We have had success to a point but the failure was not being able to get Evesham out of that league. That is a big disappointment to me personally.

“The game at Salisbury (play-off semi-final, 2016-17) was probably one of the best I have been involved in as a player or manager. The standard that evening was brilliant and I had supporters come up to me at the last match of this season saying ‘if only we could get to that standard’.

“There are reasons, though, a lot of the lads from that night have bettered themselves or left the club.

“My lowest finish in five years was seventh, to then get told I am not wanted perhaps tells you the expectation of people within the club.”

A club statement released this evening read: "Paul Collicutt has today left EUFC with immediate effect following a committee meeting yesterday evening where a unanimous decision was taken.

"The committee of EUFC would like to thank Paul for everything that he has done for the club both in and off the pitch over the past five seasons.

"Also leaving the club are Gerry Oldham, Mark Lockwood, Stuart Martyn and Ally Major, again we would like to thank them for their efforts.

"We would like to wish Colly and his back room staff all the very best for the future.

"The club will now begin the process of finding a new manager with the intention that this will be concluded as soon as possible.

"At this point there are no frontrunners and the club has received no applications. Applications from suitably qualified and experienced people are now welcomed."

Interested parties should email: eveshamunitedsecretary@hotmail.com