Didier Agathe’s reign as manager of Durham City is over after picking up just one point from the first nine matches of the season.
It was an unlikely move into management for the former Celtic winger who had been working as an agent before moving into the dug out at the Northern League club.
A fixture list that included Easington Colliery, Willington, Bedlinton Terriors and Crook Town is a far cry from when he was ripping it up against Stuttgart, Blackburn Rovers and Celta Vigo.
Durham introduced a green and white hooped change kit to cash in on the Celtic links but the early season ambitions are now history.
The Sunderland Echo reports:
Tasked with taking charge of a new youth academy and first-team affairs, Agathe took a new look City squad boosted by the arrival of a whole host of players from abroad into the new Northern League season.
There were promising signs on the opening day of the Division Two season as Bermudan striker D’Andre Wainwright netted a hat-trick in a narrow 4-3 defeat against Willington.
However, last month’s 2-2 draw against Tow Law Town was the only point that Agathe’s side picked up in their opening eight games of the campaign.
That run was extended to nine on Wednesday night as Wainwright and Curacao under-20 international Giorney Rojer found the net in a 3-2 defeat at promotion contenders West Allotment Celtic.
Agathe informed his squad that he was stepping down in the aftermath of the game – but former Newcastle United star Olivier Bernard confirmed that a “difficult situation” was behind the decision, rather than the results during the opening six weeks of the season.
He told The Echo: “I think it was good to have Didier at the club. His attitude has been very refreshing, he had big ideas for the start of his career as a manager, but unfortunately the situation at the club has changed and Didier has had to leave.
“Hopefully, in the future, we will be able to communicate the reasons behind this, but I can say that I am sad to see him go. I think he could have done well at the club, but I understand why he is disappointed. We are both disappointed because we had a good partnership and having Didier was a big thing for the club.”
After leaving Celtic in 2005 Agathe had a brief spell at Aston Villa under Martin O’Neill before returning to the Reunion Isle.
