Hednesford Town hit back after Nicky Eaden exit

The Pitmen announced on Wednesday that the former Birmingham City and Nottingham Forest player had left – with the 46-year-old yesterday stating the move came as a ‘shock and total surprise’.

However, the club hit back, claiming Eaden had wanted an unaffordable playing budget, had missed a crucial training session and even had his 15-year-old son with him on the bench for a game.

Paul Jones, a member of the Hednesford Town management group was in the budget-setting meeting when it was decided Eaden should go.

He said: “There were a number of reasons why we decided to take a different direction.

“We asked Nicky what he thought he needed and what he came back with, we thought was completely unrealistic – it was way over what we could afford.”

And he added: “There were other issues too, some of which I don’t want to go into but there were eyebrows raised when he was missing for a first team training session to undertake a speaking engagement at Barnsley.

“On another occasion, Nicky put his son on the bench. The ref stopped the game and the lad had to move.

“That made us question his respect for the club.”

Jones added that the club now had full faith in caretaker boss Gary Hayward stepping up for the final two games of the season, claiming the players are all behind the new boss.

He added: “We have every confidence in Gary – the players are with him and want to stay.

“I’d say a great deal of the reason – if not the main reason – why we’ve avoided relegation is down to Gaz. We want to build for next season and really get the club going again.

“Most importantly we want to get the fans backing us again. It’s right we take a new direction.”