CHRIS Reape and Andy Patterson have stepped down as the management pairing at Thackley and will be succeeded by club captain Pat McGuire and senior player Mike Garrod.

Former Silsden boss Reape and his assistant Patterson, the former Bradford City youth striker, have been increasingly frustrated this term after guiding the club through a promotion push last season.

Yet the club were stunned when they made clear their intention to relinquish their roles.

Chairman Phil Woollias said: "We certainly weren't expecting it but I feel that we've made the best decision, for the club, going forward.

"Chris had a serious operation last year and he sat down in the summer to think if he was ready to come back for this season. But then he was joined by Andy Patt and they really got going in the job and started planning ahead.

"They have both been disappointed with how this season has turned out after the high of the previous one.

"Last season we had eight or nine players who played almost every game but the amount of different players Chris and Andy have had to bring in, seemingly every game, it's made a big difference, so we've had no consistency and not been able to build any momentum."

The Dennyboys are currently 18th in the Premier Division of the Northern Counties East League, just two places and four points above the relegation zone after Saturday's 4-3 loss at third-bottom Harrogate Railway.

That defeat was the last straw for Reape and Patterson and they approached the committee immediately after the game.

Woollias said: "Chris came into the hospitality area to see us and he said he thought it was time for him to step away. Andy Patt had told us at Christmas that he was probably going to have to finish in February due to work commitments.

"I think he and Chris had spoken about it and decided they would go together and make a clean break. They would have wanted to give us time to get someone in and give the new manager enough time to make a difference.

"At the time we (the committee) said let's not make any rash decisions. Football stirs all kind of emotions and the best time to discuss it is not immediately after losing a game.

"We spoke to them on Sunday but Chris and Andy hadn't changed their minds and, reluctantly, we called a meeting to discuss a new appointment. I think we only spent half an hour in the room before deciding on Pat and Mike.

"They are both qualified coaches and they wanted the job, so it was the easiest decision we've ever reached. Mike had spoken about hanging his boots up at the end of this season way back in August and Pat has always been so influential at the club.

"They will still be involved as players, so Joe Brown (another former Bantams youth striker) is joining the coaching staff with them.

"Technically Joe is still a player but he's missed a lot of the season through injury, so Pat and Mike are joint-managers with Joe as first-team coach and he'll be the voice in the dugout.

"We haven't put a timescale on it, so they're not caretakers or interim managers. As far as we're concerned, they are the management team of the football club."