FURIOUS Barry Blankley has quit as Bashley manager in protest over the shock sacking of number two Fraser Quirke.

Blankley blasted Bash chiefs for being "cowardly" after they dismissed his assistant on Friday while the 36-year-old striker was on holiday.

And he claims Quirke may have been forced out of the club in an apparent "witch-hunt" by the Bash hierarchy.

The decision to axe the former Newport (IOW) man came amid suggestions that several of the Bash players had spoken out against Quirke's training methods.

And Blankley insisted he had no choice but to turn his back on Bashley having issued the club with an all-or-nothing ultimatum at the end of last term when he claims he was first asked to dispense of Quirke's services.

He said: "At the end of the season I was told to get rid of Fraser but I told the club if they got rid of him they could advertise for a new number one as well because I was not going to be dictated to and they backed down.

"We had an excellent pre-season with good sessions and then they decided to sack him. It was so cowardly to do it while Fraser was on holiday and it was an impossible situation for me because they knew the facts. Maybe they wanted me to go too.

"Fraser is a mate, how could I look him in the eye if I did not stand by what I said before? I know he would do the same for me.

"When I stand in front of the mirror shaving each morning, my conscience is clear because I have not stabbed anyone in the back. But there are going to be people at Bashley with very long beards."