Billericay Town's new chairman and majority shareholder Steve Kent accompanied yesterday's news that the club would not be leaving New Lodge to move to a £14.5m new stadium complex at Basildon's Gloucester Park with a twin boost for manager Justin Edinburgh.
First Kent, who took control last week, insisted that he wasn't planning to sack the ex-Spurs star.
And he added that he has talks planned tonight with Edinburgh to discuss ways of strengthening the team to improve on their plight at the wrong end of the Ryman Premier table.
Kent said: "Unfortunately, as soon as stories regarding my buying the club began circulating, rumours started that I planned to have a new manager.
"Unfortunately, those rumours were carried in a local paper (not the Echo or sister paper the Billericay Weekly News) at the weekend and I feel sorry for Justin over this.
"All the papers in the area were contacted by the departing chairman Rod Moore inviting them to attend a press conference at New Lodge on Thursday night, but only the Evening Echo came along meaning that they alone got the correct story regarding my arrival.
"If I had planned to get rid of Justin I would have done so on my immediate arrival. I could have said that I was a new broom sweeping clean and that I wanted my own man.
"But that's not what I want.
"I spoke to Justin just before the press conference and told him I wanted him to stay."
Published Tuesday January 13, 2004
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