While he’s stepping down as a coach he’s still going to be heavily involved with the club as a sponsor and committeeman.

“Yeah that’s it, retiring from coaching,” he confirmed after first announcing it was his last game at the presentation ceremony following FC’s 1-nil win in Saturday’s McDonald’s Premier League second grade grand final.

“Time for them to blood a new coach.

“I’ve been coaching ever since Brad (his son) came to the club, now he’s playing first grade with Broadmeadow Magic.

“We’ll have to develop new coaches but I’ve just got a few different pressures and changes.

“But I’m not stepping down from the club, I will be helping out with support.

“We’ve built a great club with great sponsors. They are a great bunch of blokes. Everyone has put an effort in.

“We’re all one big family – at The Family.”

The Family Hotel has become the home base for Tamworth FC and it has had plenty of success in recent years with its first grade side winning two premierships until being knocked out by South Armidale in a penalty shoot out final recently.

That the second grade side went through unbeaten and won Saturday’s PL second grade title was a testimony to the strength of the club.

In veteran players Robert Jeffery and Scott May it has experience aplenty to go with the likes of coach Darryl Smith.

Then the young players being developed such as Jack Byrnes, Josh Bartlett, Travis Beard, Jarryd Chester and Kobe Russell is going to make them even stronger.

Byrnes was outstanding in Saturday’s 1-nil success with Chris Hughes another impressive player who scored the winning goal.

The club has also had success with englishmen.

Scott May joined a few years ago and more recently Michael Roberts and Daniel Hall have added an International flavour.

TAMWORTH FC 1 (Chris Hughes gl) d NORTH 

ARMIDALE REDMEN 0.