BURNHAM have received eight applications for their vacant manager’s job, chairman Gary Reeves revealed this week – but Luther Blissett is not among them.

The former England striker has ruled himself out despite Reeves saying that he is doing a fantastic job in calming the ship.

Burnham are in choppy waters having lost all of the eight Hellenic League games they have played so far.

Last Saturday they lost 5-2 at home to Bracknell Town and then on Tuesday night they crashed 9-0 to Flackwell Heath, which means they have already shipped 46 Premier Division goals.

The early weeks of the season have also seen several players depart The Gore as well as the exit of ex-manager David Tuttle.

Blissett, the club’s development manager and football director, has taken charge of first team matters, but does not want the job on a permanent basis.

“It’s not me. It never was and never is. That was never my intention when I came here,” he told the Observer.

He is, however, having regular discussions with the directors and chairman Reeves about the club’s future.

Blissett added: “I said to the chairman: ‘What do I do’? He said you need to do what you can to get us into some short of shape, so when the new man comes he has something to work with.”

“It’s difficult when you’re only holding the fort until the new person comes in. Do I go ahead and bring in too many players?

Slough Observer:

PHOTO - Gary Reeves: "I won't put a time limit on it (managerial appointment) but hopefully it will be some time this month."

“If I can do, I will bring in one or two. It’s important that we stabilise the club and we’ve done that a bit.

“Whoever comes in, I will work as best as I can with them.”

Reeves said he and the board will do everything they can to make sure they bring in the right man to take charge of the side.

Reeves said: “We’ve had eight applications, but I’m sure more will come in.

“We will look carefully through them to find the right person. The new man will need to fit into the structure we’re trying to put in place here.

“I won’t put a time limit on it (the appointment of new manager), but hopefully it will be some time this month.”

In the meantime, Reeves and his fellow board members are pleased with the progress being made by Blissett.

“Luther is doing a fantastic job, calming the ship, bringing a bit of stability and trying to get players to carry out his instructions on the park,” commented Reeves.

Midfielder Courtney Lawrence is leaving Burnham to join league rivals Binfield, while defender Callum Stratford confirmed this week that he will be sidelined for two or three months with a broken left foot.

Defender Tranell Richardson, who like Lawrence and Stratford joined the club from the disbanded Reading Town side, also believes he has no future at The Gore.

So where does Burnham Football Club go from here?

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