Former Hornchurch man resigns after poor run

Lee Hodges has resigned from his managerial duties at Aveley with immediate effect.

Former Urchin Hodges was appointed by the club in mid-November after the departure of previous boss Carl Griffiths.

But the ex-West Ham midfielder felt existing work commitments meant he could not devote as much time to the job as it required.

Hodges said: “First and foremost I would like to thank Aveley and their committee for giving me this managerial opportunity.

“I would’ve loved it to work out, but I have a young family with three kids, and along with my job which takes up a lot of the time, I felt I couldn’t give the club the amount of time it needs and deserves.

“At first I thought I would be able to balance everything, but it just hasn’t turned out that way.

“There is no animosity between me and the club and once again I thank them for the opportunity.”

Assistant Jason Broom has also left and Aveley club secretary Craig Johnson said: “I received a call from Lee on Monday evening, informing me of his decision to resign from his position as first team manager.

“While results have not been as everyone at the club would have liked, Lee’s call was still a bolt out of the blue to us all.

“Only two weeks ago chairman Graham Gennings spoke to Lee, and told him his position was safe irrespective of what looked likely to be relegation from the Ryman Premier Division after three seasons, and that we should be looking at the remaining games with next season in mind.”

Millers, following a 3-1 home defeat against Tooting on Saturday, have now gone 12 games without a win in all competitions and taken just three points out of a possible 33.

Joe Keith has been put in temporary charge of team affairs, with Millers visiting Horsham on Saturday, and the club will look to make an appointment in due course with next season being its main focus.