BASINGSTOKE Town manager Ernie Howe has told The Gazette he feels "hurt and betrayed" after he says the club's board of directors told him he had to resign.

The 53-year-old ex-Fulham and QPR defender's long-standing tenure at Basingstoke Town has come to an end after 13 years - and his shock departure has also prompted club chairman David Hunt to resign.

An official club statement says Howe tendered his resignation - but statements by Hunt and fellow director Steve Murfitt point to there being no alternative but for him to go.

On a dramatic day at the Camrose, the board acted after Saturday's 3-0 home defeat to Thurrock - Town's sixth defeat in seven league games - to try to halt a poor run of form that has plunged the club into a Nationwide South relegation battle.

But stunned Howe has hit out, saying it was always his intention to stay and fight to keep Town up, not resign and walk away from the challenge, as has been implied by the official statement posted on the club's website.

The statement reads: "Following the recent run of poor performances and the club's current position in the league, Ernie Howe has tendered his resignation.

"It is with regret that the board has decided to accept Ernie's resignation with immediate effect."

However, Howe has told The Gazette: "It was never my intention to walk away - it's what I have been told to do.

"I want to stay and see it out. I'm not the sort of man to walk away from any challenge - but they have no faith in me anymore. So that's it."

He added: "I would have expected more respect from the board than I have been shown. But not one member of the board - apart from Dave Hunt - has come to me directly to inform me of their decision."

"I always try to act with honesty and integrity and I don't feel that has been reciprocated. I feel hurt and betrayed."

Howe is particularly unhappy at what he believes is "the underhand way the board has conducted themselves" over the matter.

Hunt, who, as chairman, informed Howe of the board's decision - one he was against - was not at a two-and-a-half-hour crunch board meeting held on Friday.

The board is made up of Hunt, Steve Murfitt, Linda Murfitt, Ken Taylor and Sarah Parsons.

At that meeting, Hunt said that it was decided that if Town lost on Saturday, then Howe would be asked to resign - a situation that is in conflict with the official club statement, which says that the manager tendered his resignation.

Hunt has said he only found out hours before Saturday's home league fixture of the extent of the board's unhappiness with Howe. He told The Gazette: "They had already made up their minds, so it was four against one. There was nothing I could do, and they had done it behind my back."

Hunt spoke to fellow board members both before and after the game and admitted it was "horrible" to have to go and tell Howe about the board's decision.

Hunt, whose substantial consortium investment in 2002/03 helped save the club from administration, has also told The Gazette that he will be releasing a statement later this week to inform the club's fans of his own decision to resign from the board.

Meanwhile, Howe is yet to sign any official resignation paperwork as he is still in shock over what he describes as his "shabby treatment" by the club he has served for so long.

He said: "My initial reaction when I was told was for the board to come out and sack me, but Dave talked me out of it and said it wouldn't be beneficial.

"I was prepared to stay until the end of the season to turn things around.

"I didn't want to walk away from it but the board feel it's in the best interests of the club.

"I have got personal pride and standards in what I do. Those standards haven't been met by the players and results haven't been acceptable.

"There have been many times when I have put this club before my wife Margot and my family. This just makes you ask why I bothered."

First published: Monday, March 27, 2006