9:00am Friday 29th June 2007
By Dave Peters
KEITH Ryan has been given the boot by Wanderers just one week after fellow club legend Steve Brown was also sacked.
The pair, who have given more than 30 years combined service to the club, have been axed in a cost-cutting exercise.
Former goalie-turned-coach John Granville has also gone to save money along with youth team administrator Nicky Chivers.
Youth team coach Ian Culverhouse has been promoted to the new role of head coach - which is an amalgamation of Brownie's former role as assistant manager and Rhino's position as first team coach.
Wanderers have issued a statement in which managing director Steve Hayes explained that the club had been forced to restructure its coaching staff for financial reasons.
Culverhouse took charge of training for the first time yesterday as pre-season training finally got underway - three days late.
It should have started on Monday but with Brown sacked and Ryan and Granville still discussing their termination agreements, Hayes said: "We've got quite a few people missing and we decided to leave it until Thursday."
The club sent text messages to the players telling them training had been postponed until Thursday. The players were also sent texts informing them Brown had gone.
But the squad were kept in the dark about the other departures until yesterday.
The club say they couldn't realease the information beforehand because of agreements with the people involved concerning confidentiality.
The existing players are also bound by the confidentiality clauses in their contracts.
Ryan said: "I'm obviously very sad and disappointed to be leaving the club after 17 really enjoyable years.
"I'm proud of my achievements during that time and I'm frustrated that I won't get the chance to help the club to move forward as I feel I have so much to offer.
"I'm planning to spend some time with my family and will be actively looking for work within or outside of football.
"I would like to say a big thank thank you to all the fans who have been so supportive and I look forward to seeing them soon on the terraces."
It is ironic that Ryan should be axed for financial reasons after serving the club as player, caretaker manager and now coach.
When he was a player under Lawrie Sanchez he was instrumental in persuading team-mates to accept a wage deferral to prevent the club going into administration. He also took wage cuts during his later playing contracts to help release the funds for new players.
Wanderers boss Paul Lambert said: "This has been a really difficult time for everyone. It's hard enough having to say goodbye to any employee, but Steve and Keith are legends at Adams Park so this decision was even tougher.
"I want to put on record our thanks and gratitude to both men.
"Brownie and Rhino made immense contributions to this club both as players and as coaches and in some ways it's the end of an era. I know that our fans will be upset to see them go, but sadly these were changes that had to be made."
Ryan, who was 37 on Monday joined Wanderers in 1990 and was a leading player in the team that won promotion to the Football League under Martin O'Neill in 1993. He played more than 500 games for the club.
News of Granville's departure will have been a blow to new keeper Scott Shearer.
The Glaswegian told Tuesday's Midweek Free Press: "I'm looking forward to getting started and meeting everyone and working with the goalkeeping coach John Granville. He is one of the main reasons why I wanted to join Wycombe."
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