HAVERHILL Rovers have acrimonously parted company with manager Richard Carter on the eve of the biggest game in the club's 120-year history.Carter has overseen an undefeated start to the league season and they are just one step away from reaching the first-round proper of the FA Cup, and the chance to meet Football League opposition.

By Derek Davis

HAVERHILL Rovers have acrimonously parted company with manager Richard Carter on the eve of the biggest game in the club's 120-year history.

Carter has overseen an undefeated start to the league season and they are just one step away from reaching the first-round proper of the FA Cup, and the chance to meet Football League opposition.

Rovers beat Eastbourne Borough, four divisions higher than them in the pyramid, to set up a third-qualifying round tie with Kidsgrove Athletic on Saturday.

An angry and shocked Carter refused to become embroiled in a war of words with the club but denied the parting had been by mutual agreement as stated in the official announcement.

A release said: “It was with regret that, due to other commitments and personal reasons, Haverhill Rovers Football Club first team manager Richard Carter left the club by mutual agreement on the evening of Tuesday, October 10.”

Carter said: “I was sacked by the club because they did not like my management style.

“What that means I don't know because they would not say but we have not lost a game, we are third in the table and have gone further in the FA Cup than ever before in the club's history. Where they are going to find a manager who can match that record I don't know, but good luck to them.”

Assistant manager Steve Taylor will take charge of the cup match on Saturday against the Unibond Division One side from Stoke on Trent, with Carter's blessing, but it is not certain he will stay at Hamlet Croft.

Carter has already been in talks with a couple of other clubs and has been linked to the vacancy at Leiston following Glenn Driver's departure, although Jason Dozzell has also been tipped to be the new boss there.

Rovers chairman Steve Brown stood by the club statement and would not be drawn further on the reasons why Carter had gone.

He said: “Richard helped draw up the statement so I don't know why he would say otherwise.”

Brown accepted though that some first team players might follow Carter by leaving the club. He said: “We will find out on Thursday night if some want to do that although I would imagine they will want to be involved in this game. We won't hold a gun to their heads; if any want to leave, they can.”

It is understood there has been unrest at the amount of players brought in by Carter, stifling the opportunity for young local players.

An agreement was reached upon Carter's appointment that he would limit the signings to eight but more than double that number have since been registered. Despite the furore Brown doesn't believe the team's preparations for the cup-tie has been adversely affected.

He said: “Steve Taylor has been doing the coaching anyway and knows all the players. I'm sure he will do a good job and I hope the people of Haverhill turn out in their numbers once again to support us - as they did so magnificently in the last round.”

More than 500 fans, some five times greater than the usual attendance, were at Hamlet Croft for the win over Eastbourne last month.