Boss Gavin Price says he has no problem with Brechin City’s decision to part ways and revealed his frustration at failing to lead them back to the SPFL.
Price’s six-month tenure at Glebe Park was brought to an end on Monday after they failed to retain the Breedon Highland League title this season.
The Hedgemen were edged out on goal difference by Buckie Thistle which meant as well as not winning the championship they missed out on the chance to compete in the pyramid play-offs for a return to League Two.
Price has been reflecting on the fine margins that cost Brechin the title and pinpointed losing both games against Buckie and both meetings with third-placed Fraserburgh.
He said: “I enjoyed my time at Brechin working with the players and there are a lot of good people at the club who made me feel very welcome.
“There’s obviously a huge frustration at the end of the season that we didn’t get over the line.
“It was very close but we didn’t get there and there are consequences as a result of that.
“I’ve got no problem with the club wanting to look at different options and it shows the fine margins in football.
“It’s very frustrating because I played for the club a couple of times and I was desperate to get the club back in the Scottish League.
“Unfortunately I haven’t managed to do that. The two games against Buckie have ultimately cost us, I think.
“We lost a last minute winner at home, we took the lead in both games and ended up losing both of them.
“As manager I’ve got to take responsibility for that, we should have got something from those two games.
“It’s small margins one result against either Buckie or Fraserburgh would have won us the league and the outlook would have been completely different.”
No hard feelings after departure
Price says he would have been ready to go again next season.
But after discussions with the Brechin board following the conclusion of the campaign he can understand why they have opted to go in a new direction.
The former Elgin City manager added: “I would have been confident about going again next season.
“But it’s a two-way thing and with the discussions we’ve had maybe each side wasn’t fully backing up the other.
“I think you need that to make it work and to give your best, so overall it’s probably the best decision for everyone.
“Since the season finished I’d been looking at next season and gave the players fitness programmes and came up with a pre-season schedule.
“Since the season has ended I’ve had a few meetings with the board and this isn’t something that’s been a knee-jerk reaction from either side.
“The board have come to the conclusion this is the route they want to take and that’s fair enough.
“I get on fine with all of them, they’re all good folk and they’ve made this decision which is fine.
“It’s something that happens in football and I’m well aware of that.
“I don’t have any ill feelings towards Brechin City because it’s a good club with a lot of good people at it.”
