Steve Lovell says his Ramsgate sacking is the “weirdest” thing that’s ever happened to him in football.

Lovell, 62, was axed in a Monday-morning phone call from chairman James Lawson, with Rams second in Isthmian South East.

They’ve been top of the table virtually all season, dropping a place on Saturday after losing 2-0 at Three Bridges.

The former Gillingham boss was named manager-of-the-month in both November and December but, bizarrely, finds himself out of work.

Lovell, who attended a charity match at Southwood with son and assistant manager Mark on Sunday night, says he’s had no explanation for the pair’s dismissal.

“The chairman rang me and said they wanted to go in a different direction,” said Lovell. “That was basically it.

“I’ve had no proper explanation.

“We’ve been top all season; I’ve been manager-of-the-month for the last two months.

“It’s the weirdest thing that’s ever happened to me in football, because it’s not something you say should happen.

“If we’d lost six on the spin and it looks as though you’re going to drop down the league, that’s one thing, but there’s no reason for this to happen.

"The only reason I’ve been given is they want to go down a different direction.

“I don’t know what that is. I haven’t got a clue.

“It’s quite upsetting. I really don’t understand it.

“Me and Mark have done all we can do. It’s really strange.

“Everybody thought I had another job when it came out and I had to say, no, it’s not that.

“I wouldn’t go after other jobs anyway. I’ve always been respectful to Ramsgate.

“We’ve done a good job. It was only when we lost down at Three Bridges that put us off the top, but there’s still 15 games to go. I really don’t know why this happened.

“They’ve not given me a proper reason and I can’t think of a reason. I can’t think of anything.

“I’ve not fallen out with anybody, I’ve not had a go at anybody, I’ve done the job as I always would do, as I did in the Football League.

“There’s nothing I can think of. I always do things properly.

“We’ve just brought a couple of players in (Rowan Liburd and Gil Carvalho) and the squad’s good enough. We didn’t need anyone else.

“We had an off-day on Saturday - that’s always going to happen from time-to-time - but even with four or five not at it, we could still have got something out of it.

“I enjoyed my time working there with Mark and I’ve had so many messages from the players. They can’t believe it but there you go.”

Lovell is keen to get back in work as soon as possible.

It’s a case of waiting for an opportunity.

He said: “As one door closes, another opens.

“I love working, I love being on the training ground coaching players and I love Saturdays.

“I want to get back in. I still feel I’ve got a lot to offer.”