Tonbridge Angels manager Jay Saunders to leave club at end of National League South season

Jay Saunders is standing down as Tonbridge Angels manager after three years in charge.

He’s due to leave Longmead at the end of the season, having informed chair Sophie Purves of his decision at the end of last week.

Saunders was appointed in the summer of 2022, taking Angels from National League South relegation battlers to a record ninth-placed finish in his first season, just four points outside the play-offs.

They’ve continued to punch above their weight against big-spending rivals and full-time clubs but Saunders, whose ultimate aim was to reach the play-offs, feels he has taken them as far as he can.

He said: “I can’t speak highly enough of everyone at the club.

“I just think it’s the right time for me and I think it’s right for the club, too.

“I’m at a stage where I feel like I need a new challenge.

“The club’s got some great plans in place and I believe, under Sophie, those plans will happen.

“I think I can leave with my head held high and say we’ve done a decent job.

“There will always be people who don’t agree - that’s football - but I’ve really enjoyed it at Tonbridge, they’re great people and I believe Sophie will push the club on.

“Sophie’s brilliant and Dave Netherstreet, before her, was amazing. He gave me the job.

“I just feel I’m at that point where it’s time for a change and sometimes it’s good for the club as well to have fresh ideas.

“It’s the right time. I’m not overstaying my welcome and I wish the club all the best. I really hope they kick on.”

Saunders raised the bar with talk of play-off ambitions after leaving Margate to take charge at Tonbridge.

And while that’s proved a step too far, it’s no mean achievement to have flirted with the top seven while establishing Angels at Step 2.

“We came in and said all along we want to push for play-offs and establish ourselves as a good National South club, and I believe we’ve done that,” said Saunders.

“We’ve found it hard to bridge the gap between where we’re at and the play-offs.

“I think a lot of that is down to budgets and players you can sign but I’d like to think we’ve fulfilled what we wanted to.

“I’m gutted we’ve not been able to get in the play-offs but when you look at the league, it’s difficult.

“I think we’ve had the club’s highest finish in this league, we’ve had the longest unbeaten run.

“We’ve had some good things happen, it’s just in those key areas we can’t go out and get those players who make the difference.

“I feel it’s a great achievement, when you look at what you’re fighting against in the league, to be up and around it.

“Each season we’ve been up and around the top 10 places and it’s only towards the end of the season, when you need the bigger squad and the depth, that we’ve probably dropped off.

“There’s loads of highlights and the supporters are brilliant.

“Home and away, the support is fantastic, and we’ve had some good wins against good teams.”

The play-offs look out of reach for Tonbridge after losing 1-0 at home to league big guns Torquay on Saturday.

But Saunders, whose side are 11th, is still determined to finish in the top 10 and there’s a Kent Senior Cup semi-final at Ebbsfleet to look forward to on March 18.

The winners face Welling in the final at Priestfield.

So there’s plenty to play for and Saunders says it’s business as usual for the players.

“I’ve just said to them that nothing changes for me,” he said.

“It looks like we can’t make the play-offs but I still want to finish as high as we can.

“Can we get eighth? Can we get ninth?

“We’ve got the Kent Cup semi-final, too, so let’s try and win a cup.

“They’re a good group of boys and they’ve been fantastic.

“I know they will keep going until the end of the season.

“You only have to look at the Torquay game.

“They’re a massive club and we pushed them all the way and probably deserved something out of it.

“The boys will keep doing that, I know they will.”

Tonbridge visit Chesham on Tuesday night (7.45pm).