UPDATED: Worthington follows Vince out of Witton
1:00pm Thursday 8th May 2008
MIKE Worthington has quit as Witton Albion chairman after a decade at the helm.
He announced his departure yesterday, Tuesday, less than a week after manager Jim Vince walked out of Wincham Park following the team's failure to secure promotion for the second successive season.
"It's the right time to go," said Worthington, reading a prepared statement.
"I have no regrets apart from not delivering the promotion the club's supporters so richly deserve."
Director Mark Harris takes over as acting chairman.
His first job will be to fill the manager's vacancy following Vince's acrimonious exit last Wednesday.
He did not say whether the popular former manager would be the first person he calls.
"That's not my decision," he said.
"What I need to do now is talk to the rest of the board and it's imperative we move forward together as this is a democracy, not a dictatorship."
The Guardian spoke to Vince minutes after Worthington's announcement.
"Nobody has called me yet," he said.
Worthington's shock decision to leave ends a week to forget for Albion, who lost on penalties against Buxton in last Tuesday's UniBond Premier Division semi final play off.
Gateshead beat the Bucks on Saturday to pinch promotion to Blue Square North along with Fleetwood Town.
Worthington came in for criticism from Witton fans after Vince handed in his notice the morning after Witton's play off defeat.
The chairman stressed that neither the phone call, nor the reaction of Albion supporters in the past few days, was not the catalyst for his decision to resign.
"My decision has nothing to do with Jim Vince leaving the club," he said.
"I leave with no regrets and would have handled the past seven days exactly the same if I had my time again. To me Jim Vince is just another football manager."
Indeed, his resignation statement made no mention of the now former manager. Instead, Worthington hinted at other reasons that had hastened his choice.
"I came here initially for one year and I'm still around ten years on after putting in 25 hours a week working on behalf of the club.
"That does have an affect on your private life.
"My partner lost her mother on Saturday and we feel perhaps it is time to redress that balance.
"I always felt this would be the year I could step down as ten years is enough.
"I will let the supporters judge whether I have been a good chairman but I hope they will look back and see that the club is in better shape now than it was when I arrived."
Worthington has not severed ties completely, adding that he does plan to hold on to his shares for now.
"I will continue to provide advice and support to ensure continuity," he added in his statement.
Meanwhile Harris has ruled out taking the job on a permanent basis.
Instead his focus will be on finding a manager.
"This situation is not what I wanted," he said.
"But nor am I prepared to sit back and let things fall apart which is why I have agreed to take over."
He admitted the next 48 hours were crucial.
"I hope to have something to say to the supporters by then," he said.
"That's the least they deserve."