Sutton United manager Paul Doswell has announced that he will be taking a break from managerial duties at Gander Green Lane for personal reasons.
Doswell has been in the hotseat at Sutton since the summer of 2008 and has guided the part-timers to from Step 3 to the upper echelons of the National League.
He leaves Sutton in ninth position, four points adrift of the play-off positions, following last weekend's comeback victory over fellow promotion hopefulls Gateshead.
It has been announced that Doswell's assistant Ian Baird will take over managerial duties for the rest of the season.
Speaking about his decision to temporarily step down, Doswell told a question and answer session on Monday night: 'Ian and I have been together here for five years and he has been a huge part of the success we've had, so I'm sure he, along with Micky Stephens, Matt Gray, Seb Brown and the rest of the team will do a great job.
“I've been putting everything in to the job here for eleven years, and for personal and family reasons I do need to take a break now , but I'm looking forward to being back in early July refreshed and looking forward to the new season.''
Meanwhile, chairman Bruce Elliott added: ‘'It is absolutely the right thing for Dos to do, and he is leaving the management of the team in extremely capable hands while he is away. He and his family have the good wishes of everyone at the club.''
