EOIN Doyle felt David Hopkin did the “honourable thing” by falling on his sword as City boss.

The striker admitted none of the players saw it coming when Hopkin announced he was quitting.

But he applauded their former manager for putting the club’s position ahead of his own.

Doyle said: “None of us thought he would walk and we weren’t expecting it.

“We came in as normal and then a meeting was called. The gaffer just walked in and said he was resigning because he felt he couldn’t do any more for us.

“He said it might be the change that was needed to get us out of the mire and hopefully keep this club in the league.

“It’s a sad situation but what he has done is an honourable thing. I don’t think I’d have been able to do it if I was the gaffer.

“He’s put the club first ahead of himself, which is something you don’t see very often in this game.

“I think he should be held in the highest regard for that and I’ve got nothing but praise for him.”

Coach Martin Drury has taken temporary charge as the search begins for the next boss. He is preparing the side to face Portsmouth on Saturday and could have an extended run if results go well.

Doyle added: “Martin’s been here since the start. He’s an ambitious young coach and a proper student of the game.

“I’ve never seen anyone put in as many hours watching or talking football as much as he does.

“At the minute, there couldn’t be anyone better put in that situation.

“If it was someone else coming in, he might not know the players. But Martin knows absolutely everything about everyone in the league – his attention to detail is phenomenal.

“Monday was an emotional day and we didn’t do much in the building.

“Then Martin explained what was going to happen going forward and yesterday it was business as usual working towards Portsmouth.

“We’ve got a plan going into Saturday and we’re structured very well. We know exactly how we will tackle the game.”

Doyle scored his ninth of the season in City’s costly 3-2 loss at Walsall. His five previous goals had all come in wins and he is still scratching his head how they failed to add to that tally against 10 men.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve played in a game like that,” he told the T&A.

“We absolutely controlled the whole thing and could have won five games with the chances we had.

“It wasn’t as if we were missing the target, they were blocking things with their face – it was incredible.

“I know we scored two goals but we just couldn’t get the ball in the net when we needed to.

“It was a strange game but something that perhaps happens when you are down there like we are.

“But we can’t afford to have any more of those in the run-in.

“We’ve got 12 massive games now and five or six wins will hopefully do the job and keep us out of it. That’s the attitude we have now.”