Resignation of Paul Lambert was a bitter blow

7:05pm Thursday 22nd May 2008

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FOR those of us for whom Wycombe Wanderers are an important part of our lives, it has come as a bitter blow to learn of the abrupt departure of Paul Lambert.

At the moment, the reasons for his departure are possibly known only to him.

He says it is nothing to do with being so far from his family in Scotland.

This is to his credit, because it is the one reason that nobody could complain about and would have been an easy option.

To have worked 300 miles away from his home for two years could not have been easy.

I am known in my business as an inveterate commuter and will regularly undertake daily round trips of over 200 miles in order to be able to sleep in my own bed and have a proper family life.

But what Paul Lambert has done eclipses that.

And what he has done for Wanderers has been considerable.

Anyone who, like me, watched his players battle heroically to humble Charlton and gain a battling draw at Adams Park against Mourinho's Chelsea can have no doubt about his leadership and ability to build a football team.

His style has been delightful too.

He always supported and extolled the virtues of his players.

When they lost, he was always quick to say that they had given their all in the cause.

He seemed to be the kind of person you would love to have as a neighbour, if you could understand him which was easier in print than it was in person.

He always spoke quietly and his accent made Alex Ferguson sound like David Cameron.

We can only imagine what he would have done had the team managed to get to Wembley and then triumph over Rochdale to gain promotion.

Would he still have gone?

I suppose that will only become clear when we see what he does next and get a better understanding of his reasons for moving on before the job here was really done.

It is interesting that we have had two recent managers at Wycombe whose careers as players were world class and who suddenly left Wycombe of their own volition.

The last one left without a backward glance it seemed, but I would like to believe that Paul Lambert will always have affection for our club as we will for him.

I wish him well.