Barton: Why I’ve quit Guils for Town

New Technogroup Welshpool boss Mike Barton (right) has revealed that he had lost his spark at Guilsfield and said he would have walked even if the Town job had not become available.

Barton has caused a Mid Wales football sensation tonight by quitting Guilsfield to join neighbours Welshpool, just 48 hours after Graham Evans had vacated the post.

And the challenge of rebuilding a team came at the right time for Barton who felt his days at Guilsfield were numbered.

“I had stopped enjoying the job,” he said. “Guilsfield is a great club. Fantastic committee, players and supporters but I realised this season that I had taken them as far as I could and it was time to move on.

“I had got to the point where training was becoming a chore and to be honest I probably would have resigned soon if the Welshpool job had not become available. Everything has been done properly. I called the chairman of Guilsfield to explain my decision and obviously he was not happy. I have full respect for him and the rest of the Guilsfield committee who have been first class to me but it was time to move on.”

Barton, who took Guilsfield to sixth last season, inherits a team that could be on -11 points next week if the league goes ahead and deducts 15 points for playing ineligible players. But it is exactly the sort of challenge that Barton believes will re-ignite his passion for management.

“I have to concentrate now on the big job ahead of me,” he said. “I will have a look at what’s there and then look at what players are available to bring in. I won’t be in charge tomorrow but will travel with Benji Evans to observe. I am really looking forward to having the chance to build a club from the bottom to the top.”

Technogroup Welshpool travel to Caersws tomorrow who, ironically, was Barton’s club before his second spell in charge of Guilsfield.