STONES' GIBSON DEPARTS BUT HE'S READY TO ROLL!

NEIL GIBSON says building the foundations to establish Wealdstone in the National League was this summer's plan before his surprise exit - but he's hoping other clubs have taken note for the next opportunity.

- Matt Badcock

Welshman Gibson, 45, and his assistant Lee Jones left the Stones this week by mutual consent.

Wealdstone cited the difficulties of the pair relocating permanently to Ruislip because of cost of living as well as a cut to the first team budget.

Although Gibson and Jones were working towards next season having ensured their Step 1 safety this term, the boss accepts football is a fast-moving feast.

"The last couple of years Wealdstone have been in and around relegation until the last day," Gibson told The NLP. "We wanted to steer the ship clear this season and then build some real foundations to move them away from those situations and move them forward over the course of the next few years to an established mid-table/top-half team.

"That was the plan but, unfortunately, football is football and sometimes things can change quickly."