Cumbernauld United boss Andy Frame explains his surprise decision to quit

It was an amicable parting of the ways as the 42-year-old stepped down to spend more time with his family.

With the season now cancelled due to the coronavirus shutdown, and United moving into the pyramid set-up by joining the new West of Scotland League next season, Frame feels the time was right for a change - both for him and for club chairman George Watson.

He said: ““I’ve been there for three years, I’ve been a manager now for 10 years.

“The target for Cumbernauld, which both George and I agreed when I went in, was to get them into the Premier League and I think we were on course to do that this year.

“I’ve no doubt we would have gone up. I think the boys were good enough and the club was in a good position.

“But everything that’s happened in the world in the past couple of weeks has put things into perspective for me.

“I think my family need a bit of my time just now and I know that when we come out of this at the other end I’m going to be really busy at work.

“I wouldn’t do this half-hearted and being a junior football manager takes up a hell of a lot of time.

“I spoke with George and think that with the reconstruction I’m leaving the club in a good place and giving him a fresh impetus with somebody coming in for the new league.

“I’ve absolutely loved it. I couldn’t speak highly enough of George and the club; I’ll be a supporter as we move on.”

Frame joined Cumbernauld after a successful spell at Thorniewood United, the highlight of which was guiding the club to a remarkable triumph in the Central League Cup.

He’s proud of his achievement there - and of what he helped put together at Cumbernauld.

He said: “It wasn’t just about getting a team on the park at Cumbernauld, it was everything about the place.

“We got a stable squad over that three-year period and got to the stage where we knew we were only having to add two or three every season.

“I’m proud of the fact that boys were always keen to sign and keen to stay and I think that’s testament to not just what I’d done but George as well, with the foundations we’d put in place.

“We got to a cup final and missed put on promotion by a hair’s breadth last year and I’ve no doubt we’d have got to the top league this year.

“I’m proud of what I’ve done and what I’m leaving behind and can only wish them more success in the future. And I’ll be up having a beer at the games.”

His departure comes at a time when the junior game is in a state of change as clubs move en masse to the pyramid system and the new West of Scotland League.

And Frame believes there’s a bright future on the horizon for clubs like Cumbernauld.

He said: “I think it’s for the best. We’ve got so much to offer as a grade and it’s always been the best supported non-league football, it’s got the most history and rightly so I think they deserved their place in the pyramid.

“There’s so many guys out there like George that put their heart and soul into clubs. It’s not just the actual teams, it’s the guys behind the scenes that deserve a fresh start and to be part of something bigger.

“I can’t wait to see what happens and I’ll be looking forward to it.

“There’s just so many good guys in the junior game; it’s much more of a family than the senior game.

“As much as there’s rivalry there’s still a mutual respect because everybody knows we don’t do it for the money. You do it for the love of the game and the respect that you’ve got for the people behind the scenes.

“I’m only 42 so I’m still young in management terms. But I’ve been doing it now for 10 years and my family’s been so supportive over the years that I just think it’s time to give them a bit of time back.”

Club chairman George Watson paid tribute to the job done by Frame whose side just missed out on promotion to the top flight last season.

United also reached the Central League Cup final, losing 3-1 to Pollok, and were second in the Championship when the current season was first of all suspended and now halted completely.

He said: “He leaves the club in good shape. It looks as if we were going to get promoted this year.

“He’s been denied that but we were in good shape to get there and he got us to the final of a cup.

“People look at these things and say an ‘amicable agreement’ means you’ve been sacked.

“But Andy is just basically taking some time out and it was his call, it wasn’t my call.”