HARWICH and Parkeston manager Glenn Eldridge has dispelled rumours he has left the club - and insists he is the right man to help the club readjust to step six football.

The Shrimpers boss is aware of whispers on the non-league circuit suggesting he has parted company with the Royal Oak side.

However, he says he is as committed as ever - and ready for the challenge of competing in next season’s new Thurlow Nunn League Essex division.

“There’s been a lot of negativity recently, with whispers I’ve been sacked or resigned. Neither is true,” said Eldridge (pictured right).

“(Chairman) Tony (Armstrong) has even taken phone calls from people enquiring about my job.

“People can be quite disrespectful and forget the progress we’ve made.

“They forget where we were and where we’ve come from, since I joined a couple of years ago.

“We almost went out of existence at one point and if I hadn’t come over and signed players, there’s a chance the club might have folded.

“No-one wanted this job two years ago but I took a gamble.

“People have questioned whether I’m the right man but I’ve managed at a higher level with Clacton and spent time with Long Melford.

“I might have made mistakes along the way but I’ve been there every week and I’m still committed.

“It’s disheartening when people are after your job, but I know I can take the club forward and unless I’m told otherwise, or unless I reach a point where I feel I’ve taken the club as far as I can, I’ll carry on.”

Harwich have two Essex and Suffolk Border League fixtures left - at home to Little Oakley Reserves tomorrow (kick-off 2pm) and away to Wormingford Wanderers on May 12.

They look set for a mid-table finish in the premier division before moving up the non-league pyramid to join the new Thurlow Nunn League Essex division.

They applied for promotion and had their application accepted.

“Getting this promotion is a very positive thing for our club,” added Eldridge.

“It’s not ideal in that we’d rather have gone up after finishing in the top three (of the Border League).

“But in order to progress we had to take this opportunity, to show everyone we’re ambitious.

“It’s been a tough season and I’ve lost a lot of players, either through them moving on or because of injuries.

“They’ve been hard to replace and it feels like we’ve been playing catch-up.

“But we’ve produced our best performances against the better clubs and hopefully we’ll rise to the challenge in the same way next season.

“It’s going to be new to everyone and there will be an element of trial and error along the way, but it’s going to be a good test and it feels good to be back on the same footing as other local clubs.

“We’ll need to strengthen but it’s such a good opportunity for us.

“Everyone’s up for it.

“We’re ambitious but also realistic.

“We know it’s going to be tough but if we could finish fourth or fifth from bottom it would be a good season.

“There might be some hammerings along the way but we’ve just got to stick together.”