Assistant manager Mark Ward speaks out as Buxton sacks him after a 20 game unbeaten start to the season, with fans baffled by the decision.
The club currently sit 3rd in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, picking up 32 points from 14 games played for the 2021/22 season.
But Buxton have since made a major decision ahead of their much anticipated FA Cup First Round proper tie at National League North side York City.

The club said in a statement: “The board of directors at Buxton Football Club that the management team of Gary Hayward and Mark Ward have left the club with immediate effect.
“We would like to place on record our thanks to them both for their services during their time at the club.
“We will release a further, and fuller, statement on Wednesday morning.”
A statement from the assistant manager was also issued, reading: “Evening All
It will be soon common knowledge but this evening I’ve been relieved of my duties @ Buxton FC.
“So you all know my side of things I had an holiday booked with other families that’s been cancelled due to Covid moved a number of times and had to be used by the end of the year or we would have lost a lot of money.
“After the last 18 months of a global pandemic and loads of shit this was the only chance we could all go. Unfortunately it’s fallen on a big weekend for the club and I more than anyone is gutted to be missing it However I’m still going to put my family 1st after.
“Just gutted that after everything I’ve done for the club grafted my nuts off coaching and managing the team from relegation when I 1st arrived to playing a massive part in the success this season getting to the 1st round of the F.A Cup and with games in hand can go top of the league it’s ended like this.
“I let the chairman know Saturday night as I had to wait for covid results before knowing 100% we was able to go I didn’t want this effecting anything prior but by doing this and choosing to go away the chairman’s feels he has no other choice but to sack me.
“I’ve wished the lads all the best and hope they go on to reach the aspersions we’ve set this season. Cheers, Wardy”


Twitter users reacted as the assistant manager speaks out as Buxton sacks him after a 20 game unbeaten start to the season…
@Brokebackdog: Had abit money put into them. I don’t who has made the decision but you got to remember your a non league club not a premier League club shocking decision a family come before everything.
@_MUFCJames: Just before the biggest game in our history. Nice one thanks…
@piIkingtons: I refuse to like this.
@ScottDJBarton: Absolute shambles, sorry buxton fans, you and the management team deserve better than this
@JustJack_21: So despite the best start to a season in years, and things looking great going forward, he’s going on holiday when you don’t want him to so he’s fired days before our biggest game in decades. What an absolute joke
@Al_Cooper7: Bloody hell that’s a bit of a shocker; assume been offered a bigger opportunity.
@sdsmith1981: Proof, if ever it was needed, you can’t buy class.
@seadogfan: Joke club that can’t even set floodlight timers correctly.
@BuxtonBen_: Joke
@DylanKi55482466: Pathetic right before one of out most important games its a joke
@JakeX79: I think only this club could ruin our biggest ever game 😂😂
@richardslack80: It happens its football whether we like it or not …a new manager hopefully in charge asap for saturday’s game ….come on the bux
@Janelle1Paul: get rid of gaffa cos he going on holiday haha
@BuxtonFCUpdates: disgraceful
@brown347251: What? Days before the most important game in recent history?
@MoleLeague1: Can see the wheels falling off the promotion challenge now. Extremely strange timing
@pipathon: Wow. It’s non league not premier league! Just let Mark go on a delayed family holiday! Surely didn’t need to come to this
@georgerothwell9: What a shambles! Poor decision from the outside
@YCFC1972: Another individual in charge with no people skills. All they get is negativity and tarnishes the family club with it a week before they play in the FA Cup. Feel for the management team and the fans. Joke decision.
@Sivadam: What a horrendous thing to happen! I had high hopes that the club might be returning to its rightful position in NL football – the top tiers of non-league. I sympathise with Gary, thank him for what he has done for the club, and wish him all the best for the future! It hurt when my time was up. I refused to resign making the club sack me when we were 12th in the NPL. There was just a single National League above that. We were holding our own, with the lowest wage bill in the league, playing a good few amateur players. Football can be cruel!
@Godwillaswift: This is genuinely the strangest yet funniest thing I’ve ever seen. As a Matlock lad, I genuinely feel sorry for your fans. Clearly a decision made from the top by someone with a non-footballing brain. Absolutely embarrassing 😂
@_quickdex_: I hope they were caught on video in a scandalous threesome snorting cocaine off a hookers boobs, because this is the only situation where an announcement like this would be acceptable. What abysmal timing.
@stephen_dimmock: Why on earth would you sack your manager when you have your first FA Cup proper game in donkey’s years? Sounds like the board need to sack themselves really there
@belly_eighty5: Having played for this once great club in the past this is disgusting. Grass is not always greener and I hope york do as a favourites should do and give you one helluva tonking. Not fair on the players, but those players clearly played for their management not the board.
@up_utp: Just goes to show no matter how much money you can throw at a club you can’t buy class

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