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Scully is `ground down` by the job  by  Joe Boyle
12/10/2007

RAMSBOTTOM United hope to short list for the vacant manager's post next week.

Club chairman Harry Williams explained: 'We have asked people to apply in writing and we have had six applications. Obviously the postal strike could hold some up but we hope to have a meeting soon and draw up a shortlist.'

Lee Sculpher who has been in the post for two years, resigned after Saturday's 2-1 win over St Helens at the Riverside.

It was the club's second successive victory but had followed on the heels of six defeats and a draw in the previous seven matches.

The out-going boss said: 'It has been building up over a long period of time. If I look back almost to the day that I came to the club I did not appear to have much luck with injuries and it was difficult to run the club the way that I wanted to because people were unavailable for games and training.

'It just ground me down and it was not one individual. What was disappointing was that players were not available for other reasons. The way that I played was 100 per cent and it is difficult to accept that other people are not like that.

'I wanted to do the best for Ramsbottom and that was not reciprocated and there is only so much that you can take of that.

'I never felt that I could put my strongest side out and could stand there and say to supporters that was the strongest side. I signed Anthony Johnson and Lee Cryer when I came to the club and they have only played together about 15 times. Maybe it needs someone else to come in who will have more luck.'

Scully added: 'I have not left to go anywhere else and have nothing lined up. I will be keeping in touch with the players and will go down there in the future.'

Ramsbottom United chairman Harry Williams said: 'It was building up. He rode the six defeats and you keep waiting and hoping that he would get it right. But it got to him with the application of the players and they were not as keen as he thought they should have been.

'Following the win over Bacup there were five or six who did not turn up for training. We only had about 15 and the manager took it more seriously than that.'

The chairman added: 'He was under no pressure from me and was a decent lad. He had commitment and working with him has been brilliant, I have had no problem. He is a down-to-earth type of lad and whatever he said he meant.

'He has won two Hospital Cups and without question I would like to thank him for his efforts.'

Ramsbottom United, who will be managed in the interim by Lee Cryer and Chris Nestor, will be hoping to make it three wins on the bounce when they travel to Glossop, who are five places below them in the league.

And the Blues could be in confident mood after putting five past Darwen in midweek in the LFA Challenge Cup with Sean Pearson (2), Lee Cryer (2) and Steve MacDonald getting their goals.