Maidstone United are looking for their third manager this season after it was confirmed on Friday morning that Harry Wheeler has left the Gallagher Stadium by mutual consent.

The last straw it would appear was the club’s fifth defeat on the trot on Boxing Day when Dover Athletic came from behind to win 3-1 at Crabble – a defeat that sent the Stones down to 23rd in the table and ironically took Andy Hessenthaler’s side out of the drop zone.

Stone’s CEO Bill Williams has been quoted on the club’s official website this morning. “Following discussions between the directors and Harry, it was decided that, given our league position at this stage of the season, both parties should go their separate ways. We thank Harry for the time and effort he put in and wish him well for the future.”

Mr Williams continued, “Let me be candid, this is not a situation any of us wanted to find ourselves in and I share the disappointment and responsibility for it. However, we now need everyone to pull together, in what are testing times for our club, as we do our damnedest to stay in this league.”

Wheeler, who replaced Jay Saunders in September, did have some success taking the Stones to the Second Round of the FA Cup, but in the end just 12 points from a possible 45 in the League proved the last straw for the board and perhaps the most alarming fact is that Wheeler’s sides didn’t win a single home League game during his term in charge!

So who will be the Stones third boss of this troubled season? Speculation will of course be rife, but one thing is for sure with the new man – with the team currently just one off the bottom of the National League, the only way really is up!

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.