The New Saints part company with manager Scott Ruscoe

Scott Ruscoe and Steve Evans have been relieved of their managerial duties by the The New Saints.

Ruscoe leaves Park Hall with the club currently occupying top spot in the Cymru Premier, though defending champions Connah’s Quay do have a game in hand over the Oswestry side.

Both Ruscoe and Evans were in the dugout yesterday as they were held to a goalless draw by Bala Town.

Christian Seargeant, Head of Coaching at TNS, has been appointed as interim manager whilst the clubs seeks a permanent successor to Ruscoe.

Welsh sport website Dai Sport have linked former manager Ken McKenna as the front-runner alongside former Shrewsbury Town boss Sam Ricketts.

An official statement on their club website read: “The New Saints Football Club have decided to part company with First Team Manager Scott Ruscoe and his Assistant Steve Evans with immediate effect.

“The Club would like to express their thanks and gratitude to Scott and Steve, who served the club well as manager and assistant manager respectively, as well as players for a number of years.”

“The club’s Head of Coaching, Christian Seargeant, will take temporary charge of team affairs, as the club prepares the search for the next permanent manager, with the post being advertised in due course. 

 “The Club will be making no further statement at this time.”

It brings to an end a 19-year association with the club having initially signed as a player from Chester in January 2002.

As a player, Ruscoe won nine league titles, four Welsh Cups and three League Cups during his time at Park Hall, working with the likes of Andy Cale, Ken McKenna and Mike Davies.

He later worked under Craig Harrison as before being appointed as his successor after he departed for Hartlepool United in 2017.

The former centre-midfielder was able to replicate his success as a player into management as he led TNS to two league titles, as well as a League Cup and a Welsh Cup.

However last season, TNS grip on Welsh football’s top prize loosened last season when the Nomads ere crowned champions on a points-per-game basis.

Despite a trophy-less season campaign, the New Saints hierarchy persisted with Ruscoe who claimed a Europa League victory over MSK Zilina in September and had secured a Championship Conference spot for the full-time side.

New Saints’ reporter Michael Davies’ analysis:

Only very recently as I am writing this Scott Ruscoe has been sacked by TNS. It has come as a real shock to me personally as the Park Hall side have been great to watch scoring 49 goals in the league this season. Especially because it was their first competitive fixture since the suspension in December.

The firing only comes a day after a 0-0 draw to Bala Town. In the match, there were opportunities going forward but no goals were found.

The point at home yesterday was also the first time TNS have not won at Park Hall in the league campaign.

In all, The New Saints have only dropped nine points all season. There’s been draws against Bala home and away, a point at Park Avenue against Aberystwyth Town and a 2-0 loss to Connah’s Quay at the Deeside Stadium.

Picking those results apart, Aberystwyth is the only shock result that stands out. Bala Town this season has continued to improve their game under Colin Caton. The Nomads in recent times have been a force to be reckoned with and so the defeat to the defending champions should not come as a surprise.

The 13-time Cymru Premier champions dropped 16 points at this time last season compared to the nine that I mentioned before in the current campaign. The Saints statistically are then seven points better off.

Looking at the table, Andy Morrison’s Nomads are just a point behind the league leaders with a game in hand. The improvement of the Deeside team is why I think Ruscoe was sacked. Due to how the gap at the top is closing.

Overall I am still very surprised with Scott Ruscoe and Steve Evans departure today. I wish them the best of luck with their careers moving forward. Both have had a great time with the club.

I hope this isn’t the start of a rocky road for TNS. They have transformed Welsh domestic football since Mike Harris has taken over as chairman. It would be good to see the Oswestry team in good shape come Europe in the summer.

(Featured Image: Will Cheshire)