Ellison 'has no animosity' following surprise Runcorn Linnets exit

EXCLUSIVE: Michael Ellison spoke to Sam Carroll following his departure from Runcorn Linnets last week

Michael Ellison 'has no animosity' following surprise Runcorn Linnets exit

Michael Ellison has 'no animosity' towards Runcorn Linnets following his surprise dismissal but has called for greater transparency from the fan-owned non-league club.

Ellison spent four seasons at the helm until a democratic vote, held between 12 board members, resulted in Linnets announcing his exit last week.

During his tenure he guided Runcorn to the North West Counties Premier Division title in 2018 before narrowly missing out on the Northern Premier North West Division play-offs the following term.

Linnets were mid-table when the current season was ruled null and void by the Football Association and fans have voiced their anger at the decision online, with the Runcorn Linnets Supporters Group stopping all funding pledges with immediate effect.

Two board members have also stepped down citing concerns about the direction of the club and distancing themselves from the decision to dismiss the manager.

"I've been there for almost 10 years as a player and a manager and I have a great affiliation with the club. We have had some great times there," Ellison told the ECHO.

"The way it ended I think could have been handled better by both parties. There are two sides to every story and I'm no angel. I've got my points of view and I'm a strong-minded person but I think things could have been done in a better way."

Ellison had held recent talks with chairman Mike Bignall but admitted he did not understand why more club officials were not involved in planning for the new season.

He also described the lack of communication he received from Linnets as 'poor' after they failed to make contact for several weeks.

"As a manager, sometimes you have to make decisions that aren't popular and the chairman has to do the same and I totally respect that," he said. "I'm just disappointed with how it ended.

"The first conversation we had was a couple of weeks ago. I was trying to get in touch with someone from the club for a number of weeks and nobody was getting back to me so I think communication has to be better than that.

"I'm the manager and he's the chairman and communication has to be better. To not get back to me for a number of weeks, I think that is poor.

"Then the discussion didn't go well straight away and when there's two people in a conversation there's always two sides to every story. Every other season we have had a meeting with three or four in it so I don't understand why that happened."

Ellison resigned his position as manager in the summer of 2018 after guiding Linnets to promotion before making a swift u-turn but asserted he had not been given the appropriate backing this time around.

"There are a lot of things being said and people always go back to budget but it wasn't just about budget," he said. "It was about other things; transparency, the communication wasn't there, and ultimately security.

"I want things. I've had things promised that haven't been delivered over the past couple of years. Listen, I'm a demanding person and very single-minded and I was like that as a player.

"Four years ago when I walked through the door, I haven't changed, so they knew what they were getting when I walked through the door.

"We've had these discussions at the end of the last season, the pre-season before that was the same.

"A lot of the time we would meet in the middle but I just felt like I was bending over backwards. There's no wiggle-room and as a manager you get held accountable but I think other people need to be held accountable. You can't have it both ways.

"I understood before we had the conversations that there was potentially going to be a be a budget cut. I think every manager across the country knew that and I'm not an idiot.

"But there are other things. I need to have faith in me to be told I'm the guy to take it forward and I haven't had that."

Despite the decision, Ellison stressed that he respects the outcome of the 12-man vote but urged Linnets to offer greater 'transparency' to supporters.

"Whether it's right or wrong, people see it in different ways but they have to do what is right for the football club. I'm fine with that," he said.

"I've got no animosity towards anyone at the football club. Four years ago they took a chance on me and gave me an unbelievable opportunity and I'll be forever grateful for that and I think I've played my part.

"Ultimately, there's 12 people on the board. It's a democracy. They get a vote and it was a club decision.

"I haven't got any animosity towards the club and I want to make that clear. I have had a great time there. What has to happen now is, the club or the fans get the man they want in and get behind him and move on.

"I'm a manager. There was a manager before me and a manager before him and that's it. I just think the biggest thing fans want is transparency. If you're a fan owned club, ultimately, you're answering to the fans."

Ellison leaves the club alongside assistant boss Matt Cross, first-team coach Chris Lawton and physio Gemma Mooney and is keen to secure a swift return to management while insisting he will remain a keen Linnets supporter.

"I certainly want to get back in football and hopefully get the right place or the right club," he said. "It depends if my phone rings doesn't it!"

"It's been a difficult time but that is a great football club. We have always competed at the top-end of the table and had great sides since I came as a player.

"For 10 years, we've been near the top of the league and I think that is important. Runcorn should be competing at the top-end of the league and that is my opinion and I think it is the fans' opinion also.

"Hopefully they can continue to do that and I wish the club all the best in the future. I'm a fan. Once you've been there that long it gets under your skin. If I don't get another job I'll be over there watching the games when I can!"