Danny Hussey has revealed his intention to resign as Holbeach United manager at the end of the current season.
The popular boss, who joined the Tigers in January 2019, admits that he needs to step back from the role to focus on his personal life.
One of Hussey’s two daughters is on the autistic spectrum and he feels that, due to having a very busy job, he needs to spend more time with his family and less at Carter’s Park.
But he admits that deciding to walk away from the Holbeach hotseat is a massive wrench, given that he always dreamed of managing the Uhlsport UCL Premier Division side.
“I always wanted to manage Holbeach,” said Hussey. “Having lived there and played there, it was just a dream for me to manage the club.
“I’ve loved my time at the club and I think we’ve done well over the past season and a half.
“It’s a great club, everything is done the right way and it’s genuinely been an honour for me to be the manager here.
“But some things are more important than football. I don’t mind saying that I have a daughter on the autistic spectrum and I feel I need to be around more at home to pull my weight as a father and a husband.
“I’m away all week with work, then it’s football on a Saturday and all the other things that go with being a manager. My family has to be my priority, especially with my workload getting heavier.
“If I’m honest, I’m also not sure if I want another season working with the United Counties League and Lincolnshire FA. I’ve been quite disappointed by both in my time with Holbeach, but that’s another story.”
Hussey, who has guided the Tigers to back-to-back KitmanUK KO Cup finals and has the team battling for a top for finish in the UCL Premier Division this season, is happy to help the club find his successor.
He insists that any manager coming in will find the club in great shape and hopes they’ll continue to help ensure the pathway for young players to reach the first team remains open.
Hussey added: “I’m not looking to be involved with football beyond the summer, at least for a while.
“But I’m happy to offer my opinion on who is the next manager, there’s something really good going on at Holbeach and getting the right man is key.
“Keeping that pathway from the youth players to the first team is really important and the club needs a good manager to keep that going.”
That is a sentiment echoed by Holbeach themselves, with the club disappointed to be losing Hussey but hopeful of continuing the good work he has done as first team manager.
A club statement said: “We want to thank Danny for all that he has done in his time at the club.
“We’re all very sad that he’ll be leaving his role as first team manager and everyone at the club wishes him well in the future.
“We understand his reasons for wanting to leave the club at the end of the season and we would like him to help us find the right people to succeed him.
“But we feel that it’s important to make this announcement now to stop any rumours and allow the players to focus – we still have a top four finish to fight for and a cup final to look forward to.
“The club has really moved forward since he took over the football the team has been playing has been great to see.
“The pathway for players to progress through the club from the Academy, the under-18s, Sports team and Reserves to the first team has never been better and Danny has played a big role in that.
“We’d also like to keep the vast majority of the first team squad together after Danny has left, the atmosphere in the dressing room is great and the players have good chemistry.
“We feel that we are an attractive proposition for any managers wanting to apply for the role and we’d want anybody that came in to do their best to keep the squad together, while also having faith in the young players the club has at its disposal.”
Rob Ward, who is joint assisant manager at Carter’s Park, will also leave at the end of the current season.
Hussey added that he has “learnt a lot” from Ward and says he’s been “great for the club and is well-respected by the team”.
Anybody interested in taking on the role of Holbeach United first team manager for next season should contact Tim Cole on 07557 505724.
