Following the departure of his assistant, Andy Mason, manager Bren Kelly has given the following statement…
“I am devastated that Andy has come to this decision, but I completely understand why and respect his choice.
“First and foremost, I would like to thank Andy for all his efforts and contributions throughout his time at Sporting. He has played an integral part in the club’s rise in recent years.
“Andy has had longevity in the football industry, which is a difficult thing to achieve these days. From when he played here and in the USA, to then moving into coaching. He has had many successful adventures, all of which I’m sure hold great memories for him and his family.
“When Mase came through the door at Sporting as a coach, whilst I was assisting Smudger, we immediately clicked and hit it off – how we viewed the game and our thinking was the same and we got on great straight away.
“The transition from me to manager and him to assistant manager was probably the smoothest any of us could have asked for and we excelled as a management team. We were open and honest with each other and had the same goals, of which many we achieved.
“Andy will be the first to admit he is set in his ways and is quite old school, but it worked; his methods of coaching worked and the stats prove that.
“On top of his contribution to the squad, he was a fans favourite and always made time for the Sporting faithful. He has been a pleasure to work with and I can only pray for his beloved wife Laura, who will have to put up with him more now with the extra spare time he will have!
“Mase, it’s been a joy working with you Thank you and enjoy retirement. Bren.”
