Manager Jay Saunders will step down from his position at Tonbridge Angels at the end of the current season.

The National South side will now begin the search for his replacement and the former Maidstone United boss will be a hard act to follow at Longmead Stadium.

A statement from the club reads:

After three seasons at the helm, Tonbridge Angels Manager, Jay Saunders, has made the decision to part company with the club at the end of the season to seek a fresh challenge in football.

Commenting on the move Jay Saunders said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Tonbridge Angels for the chance I was given to lead this great club. I’ve enjoyed every minute of my time here and would like to think I leave the club in a good place to keep progressing. 

“Everyone at Tonbridge Angels has made me and my family feel so at home and I couldn’t speak highly enough of the place. Working day to day with Sophie has been a pleasure, and under her leadership, I really believe the club will keep growing. With plans to take the club forward, I believe whoever is lucky enough to take over from me has a great opportunity.”

Jay informed Chair, Sophie Purves, of his decision to leave at the end of the season on Friday ahead of the team’s match against Torquay United.

Sophie said: “On behalf of the Board and everyone at the club I’d like to thank Jay for all his fantastic efforts since he joined Tonbridge Angels in 2022. He has been an absolute pleasure to work with over the past three seasons and he has successfully established our position as a real contender in National League South. Each season the team he has assembled has outperformed expectations competing well against full time clubs with greater resources.

“We will all miss Jay greatly and we wish him the very best for his next chapter in football. Jay and his family will always be welcome here at Tonbridge Angels.”

The club confirmed they will now start the process of recruiting a new manager for next season and are inviting applications for the role.

Interested parties should contact Chair, Sophie Purves. 

Email: Sophie.purves@tonbridgeangels.co.uk   Tel. 07734 172625

Sophie Purves added: “The Board very much appreciates that Jay has notified us of his decision to leave several weeks before the end of the season. This allows the directors to review applications properly and embark on a comprehensive interview process to ensure we secure the right person for the job. We will keep our supporters updated.”

Finally, Sophie said: “We want to reassure fans that it’s very much business as usual with nine league games to go and the semi-final of the Kent Senior Cup to look forward to. We ask fans to please continue to get behind Jay and the team and let’s enjoy a successful end to the season.”

The Angels currently sit 11th in the National South having lost 1-0 at home to Torquay United on Saturday afternoon.