Former Cumnock manager Tony McInally claims he was sacked by the club despite their statement saying it was a mutual agreement.

McInally’s last game in charge of the Nock was at the weekend as they lost 2-0 away to Kilbirnie Ladeside in the Premier Division.

The result sees Cumnock now sitting in 12th place in the table and winless in five games.

The day after the Blasties defeat, Cumnock released a statement confirming McInally’s departure from the club.

The statement read: “Cumnock Juniors Football Club can confirm Tony McInally and his management team have left the club by mutual agreement. We would like to thank Tony, Mark, Stewart and Brian for all their efforts and wish them every success in the future.”

Despite the statement from the club saying it was a mutual agreement McInally claims it was not.

Speaking to the Chronicle, McInally said: “It was not a mutual agreement, they sacked me.

“I came into the job two years ago and have had less than 30 games in charge over three seasons.

“The season I came in the club were second bottom of the league and I got them out of the situation and moved them up to ninth place.

“Last year was postponed because of Covid and this year the team are sitting in 12th position with two or three games in hand over everyone in the league.

“I did not see this sacking coming and I am pretty disappointed that I was not given the opportunity to build a team, like I was promised I would.

“The club told me that the priority was to stay in the league this year and we know we have had a really tough time at the start of the season due to injuries.

“I was told on the phone that the results have not been good since August/September and in that period we have beaten Darvel, Blantyre, Largs and knocked Glenafton out the Junior Cup.

“When I was not in the dugout we were knocked out of the cups by Largs and Blantyre and in the last two league matches we were beaten, it is not a disastrous run.”

Cumnock were approached for comment on McInally’s claims and stand by their statement.