YATE TOWN have been hit with a bombshell with the news that manager Craig Laird has resigned from the club with immediate effect.

Laird will be joined out of Lodge Road by assistant manager Rob Boyd. Their departures come around 11 months in the job, having been appointed to lead the Bluebells in succession to former manager Rob Cousins and his assistant Michael Meaker.

No immediate or caretaker successor has been announced yet.

A statement from Yate Town issued late on Tuesday night said: “Craig Laird and Rob Boyd both resigned from their positions this morning.

“The Board of Directors would like to thank both Craig and Rob for all their efforts and commitment during their time at the club and wish them every success for the future.

“The first team will be placed under temporary management pending the appointment of a successor to Craig .”

Laird joined Yate from Weymouth last April, with director of football Nigel Hawkins telling the Gazette that the target for this season was automatic promotion from the Evo-Stik Southern League Division One South and West.

Laird had talked about starting the season well but, with new names being drafted into the squad, it was a beginning of mixed fortunes as a superb 1-0 away win over Evesham United on the first day of the season was followed by three August losses, two draws and a comfortable 4-0 away win at local rivals and division new boys Slimbridge.

The manager had hoped that the team would gel together by Christmas last year and they seemed to be doing better than expected through to the end of October, which culminated in an outstanding 5-2 home victory over high-flying Swindon Supermarine.

However, that victory on October 24 was their last of 2015, and they had to wait 11 matches until January 2 for their next win when they beat Bath side Larkhall Athletic by 2-1 at Lodge Road.

In that first month of the new year, the aim of automatic promotion had dwindled and Laird admitted that Yate needed to go on a success streak in order to make the end-of-season play-offs.

The Bluebells’ disrupted January, due to the bad weather, saw them win twice and then three times out of six in February but, by then, the play-off ambition had also ended.

Laird’s last match in charge of Yate was the 2-1 win away at basement side Bashley on Saturday. An announcement on who will be in in charge for Saturday's trip to Taunton Town is yet to be made but it may be director of football Nigel Hawkins.

Further club statements the situation regarding Laird’s departure are expected towards the end of this week.