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Hednesford Town manager sacked on eve of historic FA Cup tie
Hednesford Town have announced the departure of manager Steve King, less than 48 hours before their crunch FA Cup first round tie against Gainsborough Trinity.
The club cited a "breakdown in relationship" between King and the board of directors as a primary reason for his departure.
King took charge of the Pitmen in May and led them to 16th place in the NPL West Division.
He also guided the club to the FA Cup first round proper for the first time in more than a decade - a run which included a stunning 3-1 victory at Gateshead, last season's FA Trophy winners.
This Saturday, Hednesford will host Northern Premier League opposition in Step 3 Gainsborough Trinity, who also overcame National League opposition in the last round.
The pair will battle it out for a place in the FA Cup second round as they look to move within one more win of setting up a potential tie with Premier League opposition.
An interim management team, featuring Martin Hunter - whose coaching background includes Southampton, Bradford, Norwich, and Watford - alongside Junior Lewis and head of youth development Andy Turner, will oversee first team duties until further notice.
The club have put no timescale on appointing King's successor.
In a statement posted to social media following his departure, Hednesford said: “The club’s priority is to uphold its principles of integrity and professionalism in all matters.
"Further updates will follow as the club progresses with its plans."
Photo credit: Hednesford Town
