Rob Smith: Time right to leave AFC Telford

Smith became only the second permanent manager in the 'new' AFC Telford's history when he replaced the sacked Bernard McNally on 16 February 2006.

He took over from caretaker Sean Parrish and h is time in charge lasted until the summer of 2010 – the longest reign in the club's nine-year history.

It ended when the Bucks missed out on promotion after losing the Conference North play-off final.

Smith returned to Telford for the first time as a spectator in midweek, running the rule over his former team in Tuesday night's goalless draw at home to Worcester City.

Now the Hednesford chief will be in the unfamiliar position of the away dug-out when the two teams - both front-runners in non-league's second tier – meet in the FA Cup on Saturday.

Smith said: "Four-and-a-half years is a long time to spend at any football club and it was the right move for all parties. I probably needed a fresh challenge and the club probably needed a fresh face.

"We had won promotion from the Northern Premier League, the Setanta Shield and came so close to getting into the Conference Premier, it certainly wasn't for the lack of trying.

"Maybe we would have got the job done if we had stayed but I have no regrets, just fond memories of my time at Telford. And I always knew they would get there in the end."

Smith's successor, Andy Sinton, led Telford to the promised land in the following campaign and they spent two years at the level, before relegation last season.

McNally got them started, getting the club up from the Northern Premier League Division One, and Smith couldn't quite get the double promotion that would have established his legend.

A play-off win, before a Conference North play-off semi-final and final, all came and went but it was still some journey for Smith, who had been managing Willenhall Town alongside Larry Chambers.

Smith said: "We got through the interview, that's what got us the job, and Telford liked what we had done at Willenhall. We had beaten them twice and drew once against them.

"They were the club everyone wanted to play, our lads were on £10-£20 a game and playing at the New Bucks Head.

"It was a different challenge at Telford, we were expected to win every game but we embraced that, although we found everything you do at a big club is scrutinised. That's the one thing I didn't enjoy.

"It took up more of my time than managing a club at that level would normally do, which was difficult with my job, as a project manager for National Rail.

"I gave it everything I had but it's for other people to twist it how they want whether we helped to put some foundations in place.

"The amount of players that went on to play higher after leaving us was in double figures, so maybe that tells its own story."

He took over at Hednesford, again replacing McNally, that October and got a club promoted from the Northern Premier League for a second time, again through the play-offs.

The Pitmen are flying high – seven places above Telford – at the top of the Conference North but Smith insists there's no doubt who is the bigger club.

He said: "This club has a lot of potential, but they are not as big as AFC Telford. As it stands, they are in their right fitting as a Conference North team.

"Our support has increased, but we are not ready to go any higher. Maybe, down the line, that will change but we are we need to be.

"There's no expectations, no pressure on us at all, it's been a great three years for Hednesford and I have enjoyed every single minute of it."