Steeton defeat to Daisy Hill leads to angry words from boss

The Chevrons, poor throughout the contest, found themselves three goals behind inside the game’s opening half hour and only mustered one shot on target throughout the contest which came with the last kick of the game.

The performance and result left Mason with plenty to ponder in terms of the direction of the club and side as the final five fixtures of this slog of a North West Counties Football League First Division North season loomed large over the coming month.

At only four points above the drop zone, the unthinkable prospect of relegation is still on for Steeton, with Mason making it clear that his players and the club need to take a long hard look at themselves.

They face a huge game at home to second-bottom AFC Blackpool on Saturday, who are six points behind them, and can no longer count on captain Josh Kaine, who has decided to retire with immediate effect.

Speaking to the club’s press officer Josh Chapman after the Daisy Hill match, a disgruntled Mason said: “I’ve absolutely no qualms about today’s result.

“Credit to Daisy Hill, as soon as they scored their first goal, I think it was game over.

“They were better than us, sharper than us, they wanted to win more than us.”.

He added: “I’d like to issue a huge apology to all the supporters who paid money to watch us today and I’d like to apologise to the volunteers and people who work behind the scenes at the club because, quite simply, this season has been totally unacceptable in every which way.

“There are a lot of other things that are wrong behind the scenes as well, and I think the whole club is in a mess, from top to bottom.

“We’ve no structure, no leadership, we’ve nothing, and I don’t think the club’s got any direction.

“I’ve said to the players in the dressing room at full-time that I’m quite happy to tender my resignation as manager, if for these final five games of the season, the committee feel a new face is needed, something to lift the players, because whatever’s happening at the moment isn’t working.

“I think the whole club needs a huge kick up the backside and some fresh impetus, because I think everyone off the field is feeling flat as well.

“Like they say, who motivates the motivator, because at the moment, I just feel absolutely devoid of motivation.”

Games like that one would get anyone down, with Mason admitting he had already had stern words for his players, some of whom he criticised for “not caring enough” about the club.

He told Chapman: “I’ve just daid to the players in the dressing room, they’ve all got to take a long, hard look at themselves.

“Whether it’s me in charge for our next game, or a new manager, they have to do more, and be accountable for their performances.

“A football team reflects its manager, but at the moment, this football team does not reflect me.

 “I’m passionate, probably over-passionate, about this football club.

“I’ve been here for 20 years now and it means everything to me.

“Stewart Airdrie (first-team coach) has always been involved with this club one way or another and he can’t remember a time in his life when his parents weren’t involved here.

Roy Mason (right) next to Stewart Airdrie ahead of game earlier this season, in a campaign which has proved grim so far. (Image: Ian Meachin.)

“It means something to him, but unfortunately, I don’t think the club means something to a lot of our players.

“You can tell that by today’s performance, they’re not prepared to run through a brick wall for this club.

“They’re the wrong kind of characters to have here, and while I’m not one to call people out publicly, I’m sick to death of managers being the ones thrown under the bus all the time.

“I accept the responsibility, because I’m the manager of the football club and it falls on my head.

“But other people have got to take responsibility too, and today’s performance just reflected where we are as a football club.

“Let’s never kid ourselves that this team’s too good to go down, because it isn’t too good to go down.”