CINDERFORD Town’s outgoing manager John Brough says seeing the majority of his squad leave the club swayed his decision to also depart the Causeway.

Title-winning coach Brough was disappointed that the Southern League Division One South & West champions had elected not to take their place in the Premier Division and called promotion a ’once in a lifetime chance’.

The former Cheltenham Town and Hereford United defender added that the uncertainty over the club’s future led to the departure of the majority of his playing squad.

“The club made a decision in their best interests but I had to make a decision for the benefit of myself,” he said.

“Looking back on what we’ve achieved over the last two years, when the foundations were made for this successful season, I just think of all that hard work we put in – and I stress this, in we, and not myself, but everyone at the club.

“Then not to take on what is the chance of a lifetime was hard to take. Cinderford have never been in this position, so high in the league, and I think that division will be much harder next season.

“The nature of football is that players come and go but for the whole squad to go, it’s a lot to ask.

“If they had all wanted to stay with the exception of one or two that maybe would have swayed me to stay.

“We built a great team with a great team spirit which was partly what got us over the line with the league.

“It’s as if they’ve all said ’if you’re not staying, then I’m not staying either’. At the moment I find it hard to tell you one player who wants to stay.

“The club wanted me to make the decision and pushed for that and once they made their decision I just felt it was time to move on to my next chapter, whatever that may be.”

Brough has since taken on the job at divisional rivals North Leigh.