Southern Counties East side Hollands & Blair are looking for a new manager following their disappointing start to the new campaign.

With two months of the season gone, Blair’s hopes of competing at the top end of the SCEFL Premier Division have started badly, with just two wins from their opening nine games.

It’s a run of form that’s cost Luke Jessup his job as first-team manager, along with his coaching team of Aaron Lacy and Luke Hewitt. He took over from Scott Porter in February, after enjoying success with the club’s reserve side.

Blair had invested in a first-team squad that on paper looked capable of achieving their aims this season, but it’s been an underwhelming start, heading into this weekend sitting 15th in the table.

Poor form in the league coincided with an early exit in the FA Cup and last weekend suffering defeat in the FA Vase at the second qualifying stage. They have also been knocked out of the SCEFL Challenge Cup.

Blair’s board stated on Wednesday that they have decided to head in a different direction.

Their statement said: “It is with careful consideration that after reviewing our current performances and results, we have come to the difficult decision to move the club into a new direction.

“As such, we have decided to part company with Luke Jessup as our first team manager.

“We are grateful to Luke stepping up in both an interim and eventually permanent manager from his role as reserve team manager at the club.

SCEFL Premier Division table

“We felt at the time that it was right to promote from within but unfortunately it hasn’t worked out as we all hoped.

“The decision was not made lightly and would like to place on record our gratitude to Luke for his time, his unwavering commitment and efforts during his tenure at the helm of both our reserves and SCEFL Premier team.

“The club would also like to thank Aaron Lacy and Luke Hewitt for their commitment and effort during this period.

“We wish Luke all the very best in future endeavours and with his other Hollands & Blair commitments and Aaron and Luke also.

“We are inviting applications for the role of first team head coach/manager and all correspondence to go to: secretary@hollandsandblair.co.uk”

Blair host bottom side Rusthall this Saturday.