Former Bristol Rovers director of football Tommy Widdrington believes previous mismanagement before his appointment at Kings Lynn was the main catalyst for their relegation.
Widdrington watched his side drop out of the National League over the weekend following a 3-3 draw with Eastleigh after Aldershot condemned their fate with a 3-1 victory over Notts County.
He took on the role in December, a week after leaving the Gas, after his role at Rovers had been downgraded following Joey Barton's appointment.
Widdrington, 50, has overseen 28 games in charge of Kings Lynn during his short tenure, winning seven and losing 12. They are set to finish third from bottom, eight points adrift of safety.
Speaking after their relegation was confirmed, he said he would have to reevaluate the season ahead of their drop to the National League North but laid blame on how the club was managed before his arrival.
Reported by Lynn News, he said: "It's one of those things where I have to take stock and have a look. I always analyse the staff and myself and see whether we could have done anything differently, but ultimately there was an accountability before I came in the building and that's why we are where we are.
"I genuinely believe I've got as much out of these players as I could, probably more than they thought I could, and made us a lot more competitive.
"We've let them back into the game and the two goals we've conceded were ricks on our part from really good defenders who have been excellent for me since I've been here."
Widdrington spent three and a half years at the Mem which also included two caretaker managerial roles. He joined as head of recruitment from Coventry in 2018 playing his part in the signings of Jonson Clarke-Harris and Abu Ogogo from his former club.
His influence at the club grew following the appointment of Ben Garner with the duo overhauling the squad ahead of the 2020/21 season. However it backfired, with Garner sacked in November with Paul Tisdale coming through the door.
In the same month, Rovers owner Wael Al-Qadi promoted Widdrington to the club's board, naming him director of football.
A mismanaged January transfer window saw Tisdale axed after just three months as Barton then took charge which ultimately ended up being Widdrington's downfall when he took ownership of the club's recruitment.
Barton did not hold back in his criticism, saying: "The sooner everything settles down at the football club, the sooner we get absolutely clear direction – I think that comes from the CEO and I think that comes from the director of football, and I use that word loosely, I think it comes from those directions.
"We’re still at the point where we don’t have any scouts. We need an opposition scout and I haven’t got one. I’ve got no scouting team. Tommy Widdrington had them, but I don’t know where he’s gone with them. I haven’t spoken to him for a long period."
He was reassigned from his director of football role following the club's relegation to League Two in a less influential position of loan manager before eventually taking the managerial position at the Linnets.
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