Departing Deveronvale manager Craig Stewart labels club 'a mess' after resigning over board rift
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DEPARTING Deveronvale manager Craig Stewart has described the club as "a mess" and said there are board members who don't have Vale at heart.
Stewart had been at the club since October 2015, first as assistant manager and then as manager, but resigned after a shock 3-0 home loss to bottom-club Strathspey Thistle on Saturday.
While admitting the performance was probably the worst of his eight-and-a-half-year spell, Stewart said it had little impact on his decision to resign.
He said: "There are people involved at the club that I can't work with. It's as simple as that.
"That is nothing to do with the result on Saturday, it has been a bit of a build-up. Don't get me wrong, Saturday was horrendous, probably the worst I've seen in my time at Vale, but I'm confident that team can go to Lossie and win.
"But seeing how people go about their business in the club – I'm a local lad and always have been – I don't like what happened at Deveronside and what is happening now at Deveronvale.
"The club is in a mess and there are people involved that have their own agendas and I'm not sure they have Vale at heart. They have very little knowledge of Highland League football, or football full stop.
"We have had one fundraiser this year, organised by a sponsor. If you only have one fundraiser per year – set up for you – the club is going to be in trouble.
"It means there are very little resources for money for players or for the wage structure. People on the board need to work harder to make funds available to keep the club going.
"The chairman Jim (Mair) has tried his hardest to keep the club going but there needs to be a lot more."
Deveronvale parted company with assistant manager Ritchie Davidson last month due to a "footballing incident" and that accelerated Stewart's decision to step back.
He added: "It has been on my mind for a good several months that at the end of the season I was going to consider my position.
"Things happened with Titchy (Ritchie Davidson) too which hasn't helped the case.
"I feel sorry for the group of players and guilty that I have let them down.
"I will still be a Vale fan. Nothing changes there. There's a family connection with my nephew Max playing and my dad played and managed too.
"It's not been an easy decision, but if I'm being honest it's down to the people that got involved in the last months."
Stewart was keen to praise the volunteers at Deveronvale, who keep Princess Royal Park and the club ticking over week on week.
He added: "There's a group of volunteers at the club that help out on a match day, that have no say on the running of the club, but these are people worth their weight in gold and they don't get credit.
"Some don't even see the games because they are dealing with hospitality. I am so grateful for the support they have given me and Deveronvale, even in tough times."
Looking back on his spell, Stewart said he was proud of keeping Vale in the Highland League and giving so many youngsters a chance.
"To keep the club in the league is an achievement," he said. "Some folk won't agree, but just keeping Deveronvale on the map, because I worry where it's going.
"I've given a lot of young players an opportunity, playing 17-year-old lads and seeing them develop.
"People that don't know about football, and there are a few of them on the board, won't recognise the progress. Giving players opportunities, that's been my big thing.
"I'm not thinking that's me done with football yet, I'm still open to anything, whether I would go back to management, I would have to see – maybe a coaching role, but never say never."
