Kendall walks out on Chesham

CHESHAM United are looking for their eighth manager in four years following the shock resignation of manager John Kendall this week.

He walked out on Tuesday with nine months still left on his contract after being approached by Premier Division rivals St Albans.

Without being given permission to talk to the Hertfordshire club, by Chesham, Kendall was appointed Saints boss on Wednesday. United are now seeking up to £7,000 compensation for the remaining nine months of his contract.

Former Aylesbury boss Bob Dowie, a friend of United chairman David Pembroke, will take charge of Chesham for tomorrow's FA Cup qualifying match at home to Wallingford. But Dowie, who also coincidentally had a successful spell at St Albans, does not want the job full-time and United will advertise it.

Kendall's acrimonious departure comes just four weeks after fans held a party to celebrate his first anniversary at the club - an achievement which made him one of the club's longest serving managers in recent history.

Kendall transformed Chesham from relegation candidates into one of the most attractive and most feared sides in the division and even raked in £15,000 selling Dwayne Plummer to Bristol Rovers.

Pembroke said: 'He was the most successful manager in my seven years here. His resignation came totally out of the blue. He wanted a contract but contracts have got to work both ways.'

United refused to accept his resignation and when that happened Kendall walked.

Kendall said: 'I think I deserved the right to talk to any club but after the way Chesham handled it I didn't want to be there.'

Saints chairman Lee Harding said: 'He was top of the shortlist we drew up, head and shoulders above the other names we considered. We met at the ground on Tuesday evening and reached an agreement for John to take over straight away.'

Kendall's assistant Jeff Wood, who is on holiday, and physio Terry Warren are expected to follow him to Saints as well.