HOWARD Goddard has been sacked by Sydenhams Wessex League outfit Andover after 16 months at the Portway Stadium helm.

The ex-AFC Bournemouth and Newport Country striker got his dismissal letter yesterday but says the writing was on the wall last Monday when the club informed him they were cutting his wages.

Only two weeks ago, Goddard angrily turned down the offer of a two-and-a-half year contract because he claims club directors had tried to sack midfielder Steve McNulty in the wake of his sending off at Gosport.

McNulty, who was Goddard's first signing for the Lions, had just returned from a 35-day suspension.

The club's letter to Goddard stated he'd been sacked on the grounds of "ill discipline" and that he had not met the standards of behaviour required by the club.

Goddard said: "They wanted me to walk on Monday, but I didn't. I answered their questions and said I'd stick by the players. When they're criticising behaviour they ought to take a look at their own. I knew I'd been sacked before the letter came as the local paper told me!

"My sacking's got nothing to do with football, it's personal. I lost my job because I stuck up for my players and because I believe in principles.

"I didn't like being told by board members I wasn't allowed to play Steve McNulty."

Assistant manager Ray Cozzi will take the reins for tomorrow's Hampshire Senior Cup tie at home to Bishop's Waltham.