Alcester Town sack manager Perry Macleod for 'gross misconduct'
ALCESTER Town chairman Dave Taylor has revealed manager Perry Macleod was sacked for gross misconduct following an expletive-laden rant at match officials.
Macleod, who was appointed in May, departed the Midland League Division Three club on Monday after he was sent off during the club’s 2-1 victory over Knowle on Saturday.
It was Macleod’s second red card of the season and Taylor says the decision to remove him was due to a series of disciplinary issues since his arrival at the club, with last weekend’s events proving to be the final straw.
“Perry has been relieved of his duties due to gross misconduct and a poor disciplinary record,” said Taylor.
“I’ve had a word with him before about his poor conduct towards referees. I sat him down and told him he can’t say the things he does to officials.
“On Saturday it happened again, he used some unacceptable language and was sent off.
“We are a community club and we have kids watching. The board of directors at the club are not prepared to put up with that sort of behaviour.
“This decision is purely down to off-the-field incidents and nothing to do with results.”
Macleod was asked to be present at an emergency board meeting on Tuesday night, but expecting the axe, he rejected the invite and was instead sacked via Whatsapp.
“I’ve got no regrets,” said Macleod, who led the club to five victories in their opening seven games.
“If I was going to regret anything, I wouldn’t have done it.
“I was doing a fantastic job. I had opposition managers telling me it was the best football they had seen at this level.
“This was an off-field issue and I felt sooner or later it was going to come to this.
“They wanted me to travel 35 minutes each way for an emergency meeting, but I’m not going to travel there for them to just sack me.”
While Macleod has no regrets over his time at Alcester, he did admit concern over any future opportunities, having been shown the door after just seven games in management.
He added: “It’s my first ever job as a manager and I’ve been sacked in the first month. Will anyone touch me? I am sure somebody will take me on, with the players I can attract and the sponsorship I can offer a club.
“I proved in my short period of time that I can be a success. I’m very good at what I do and I think I proved that.
“With what happened at Alcester, I’m just gutted as I knew I was going to make a name for myself.”
Macleod has since been replaced as manager by the team of Matt Seeley and Richard Briggs. Macleod’s assistant, Phil Carter, is also believed to have left the club.