Axe was too soon insists boss Al

By Neil Harvey

DEPARTURE: Alan Julian

Axed Alan Julian says he understands Slough Town’s decision to let him go – but believes the move was premature.

The 43-year-old left his four-month stint Arbour Park after a 2-1 defeat by Braintree Town last Saturday left the Rebels pointless from their opening six games in National League South.

After his departure, Julian told the Slough & South Bucks Express: “Listen, when you’re in football you understand.

“I use the phrase ‘it’s their train set to do whatever they want’. You must go along with their decisions as a player and a manager. That’s fine.

“I’ve nothing but love and respect for Ash and Tristan and Simon, I really do. They decided to do what they think is best, but from my point of view, we have the lowest budget in the league by a country mile.

“What were the expectations for us? Where did they expect us to be? We were six games in.

“Nobody has battered us. We lost 5-3 to Dover with the fifth goal coming when we were absolutely going for it at the end. That was a close game.

“Hampton was the same, we sent the goalkeeper up at the end in a close game. We lost 1-0to Dagenham and 1-0 to Farnham, 2-1 to Braintree and 2-0 to Folkestone. We were in every game.

“Now I fully accept that six defeats in a row isn’t good. But I say again, what did people expect from the team this season. That’s my frustration but it’s football.”

Julian and his assistant Donovan Chislett have been replaced in the interim by Johhny Goddard, Henry Ochieng and first-team coach Ryan Case, but they couldn’t prevent defeat number seven on Tuesday night as the Rebels went down 5-1 at Salisbury.