There was some shock on this week as English football’s longest-serving boss quits his role as manager after 25 years in charge.
Folkestone Invicta chief Neil Cugley made the decision to depart on Wednesday – having been appointed the year after Arsene Wenger joined Arsenal.
The 65 year old had replaced Wenger in 2018 as the most enduring manager in the country’s top seven tiers.
But he now bows out having managed a total of 1,299 games in with the Kent part-timers who sit mid-table in the Isthmian League Premier Division.
As a renowned striker, Cugley broke Folkestone’s goal record for a season with 46 in 1981-82, before then taking over as boss in 1997 he had been expected to remain as manager until the end of the current campaign.
⚽️| This afternoon Neil Cugley has announced his decision to step down as manager of Folkestone Invicta Football Club with immediate effect#fifc | 🟠⚫️ pic.twitter.com/HBSGVB8dmj
— Folkestone Invicta (@FIFC) October 26, 2022
He has become embroiled in off-the-field talks about reviving the club’s financial situation after chairman Paul Morgan stepped down.
Now he’s stepping down, having most notably won the Isthmian League Division One by 24 points in 2015-16.
Sir Alex Ferguson had been approaching the midway point of his 26-year reign as Manchester United boss when Cugley took the Folkestone job. Graeme Souness was also the boss of Liverpool and in November that year, many will recall Christian Gross in an ill-fated ten months as Tottenham chief.
1997 saw Wenger win Arsenal’s first title in seven campaigns – in his first full season in English football.
Cugley has been one of the best-known and most popular names in part-time football for five decades.
Aside from three spells playing for Folkestone, he also made appearances for Ashford Town, Dartford, Margate, Dover, Maidstone United and Thanet.
He also managed Ashford and Hythe before returning to Folkestone for the past quarter of a century.
💬| Neil Cugley: “I have always had good, loyal and friendly staff, players, directors and chairmen around me and that has made my years at FIFC so enjoyable.
I also thank the supporters past and present for their loyal support, through the good times and bad.” #fifc | 🟠⚫️ pic.twitter.com/fIF02kRIQd
— Folkestone Invicta (@FIFC) October 26, 2022
STATEMENT
“As people may have heard this is to be my final season as Manager of
Folkestone Invicta Football Club (FIFC) and following discussions on
Monday afternoon with Micheal Everitt and Roland Edge I am pleased to
say they have agreed to accept the responsibilities of running the first
team from this weekend till the end of the season. I hope that everyone
will support them as they have been loyal employees at our club for a
long time and deserve all of our support.
As we all know the circumstances have changed during the latter couple
of weeks and I have been involved with supporting the remaining members
of the Board in trying to get the investment required to maintain and
meet the financial shortfall we now need. Due to this I feel that with
the meetings and numerous phone calls it is difficult to concentrate on
all aspects of the club and being honest this may have reflected on the
players and disappointing results. Due to the current shortfall I have
agreed to forgo any wages for the rest of this season to assist the
club’s financial position.
The Club now has 24 youth teams which include 5 girls teams and an
academy of 25 full time students and there are major changes required in
the near future to support this growth including accommodation and
appropriate football training areas and pitches. The club is currently
debt free and I personally think it would be great for the Club to have
a consortium of people putting a realistic amount of money into FIFC
that will also attract future directors to the Board.
I have always had good, loyal and friendly
staff/players/Directors/Chairman’s around me and that has made my years
at FIFC so enjoyable. I also thank the supporters past and present,
through the good times and bad for their loyal support. Myself and Paulinewill always support
this club and all the memories and sometimes heartache it has given us.
Neil Cugley”
This is what fans said to the shock as English football’s longest-serving boss quits his role after 25 years in charge…
@LRbix: The whole of the non-league community, thanks you for your service! 🙌👏
@FolkestoneInvSp: Thank you for everything Neil, Great Manager and a Great Person 🖤🧡
@hb_tyler: End of an era, change is always inevitable but this is one hell of a change. Fair play to Cugs for such a long service to this club and town, given us all some great memories 👏 Happy retirement, well earnt
@davealucas: I thought he would never step down. Good luck to him though, I don’t think you will find anyone so loyal
@chappo04: Definitely an end of Era… Neil is a top man..
@WChairRaider: A non league football legend
@Robduns: The end of an era. Enjoy the next chapter sir.
@pearcey33: Big boots to fill, absolute legend of non league.
@JonnyJp7: Nooo 🥺 What a legend of a man. #puckinghell
@Chadders55: A true legend of the non-league game, wish him all the best in whatever he does next.
@ARouse75913373: The time he has spent at one club will never be repeated, always a tough side to play against. Neil has always been a gentleman, either winning or losing. He will always be welcome at Whitstable Town…
@ConnorJames___: Gg not folkestone but gotta respect how long hebwas at the club and how good of a job. Hes obviously done
@petercandy1: Best in the business, gonna be one hell of a tough act to follow
@swain_benj: What a legend. Saturday’s @FIFC won’t be the same without Cugs. Thanks for the memories and best of luck for your next challenge.
@lion_tamer_: Thank you Cugs for all those years , Wish you well in the future .
@CraigCooper11: All the best from a Leiston fan. That’s an incredible amount of time to be manager of a football club.
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