Wiltshire saw writing on the wall at Fawley (From Daily Echo)

Wiltshire saw writing on the wall at Fawley

10:23am Tuesday 7th February 2012 in Sport By Wendy Gee

MUCH as Paul Wiltshire was dis appointed to lose his job as Fawley AFC manager, he had sensed the writing was on the wall.

Brought in a year ago to infuse fresh ideas and bring new, young talent into the Oilers’ camp, the Warsash-based ex-Saint got the feeling he had “ruffled a few feathers” at the close-knit Waterside club.

Having worked along side out-going boss Richie Coxall for the final three months of last sea son, Wiltshire – a former Eastleigh reserve team manager – was handed full charge of team affairs during the sum mer. Using his Eastleigh links, he bolstered the squad with several of his old Spitfires charges and also a handful of former AFC Totton youth/reserve players brought in by his former assistant Colin Lane.

For much of the season, the signs looked good for at least a top-ten finish – a vast improvement on last term when Fawley struggled home 20th in their debut Sydenhams Premier campaign.

But a January goal drought led to five straight league defeats, dropping the Oilers to 16th.

Wiltshire’s year-long stay was terminated last week with a Fawley spokesman confirming that the decision had been made “in the best interests of the club going forward.”

Admitting the atmos phere had soured in recent weeks, Wiltshire said: “We had a bit of a blip and when I dropped a few players I got the feel ing that the powers that be didn’t quite like it.

“Maybe they looked at me as someone who was going to change every thing and that the players I brought in would all up sticks at the end of the season and the club would be back to square one.

“I don’t know what was said behind the scenes but there were rumblings of people talking and it gets more and more diffi cult when people aren’t speaking to you.”

*Full story in today's Echo