AS one ex-Hammer, Paolo Di Canio, begins his first spell in management, another is now looking for his next job in the game.

It was announced last Tuesday (May 17) by Grays Athletic chairman Keith Burns that former West Ham skipper Julian Dicks has left the troubled Essex club by mutual consent.

The departure of Dicks ends several weeks of speculation about the future of the 42-year-old, who joined Grays in September 2009.

His previous experience as a manager had been a brief, unsuccessful one with Wivenhoe Town of the Eastern Counties League but he was seen as the charismatic and highly driven performer to end two years of turmoil around the Grays managerial hot seat.

However, Dicks was unable to turn the club’s fortunes around and they were relegated from the Blue Square Premier League at the end of the 2009-10 season and, because of financial problems and the loss of their New Rec ground, dropped two flights down the non-league pyramid to the Ryman League Division One North.

The Essex Enquirer reports: "They entered the season with high expectation and a cluster of highly rated players, but a lack of consistency flawed their campaign and despite an improvement at the turn of the year, they eventually finished 10th.

"Opinion appeared divided among the Grays fans about his credibility as manager to take the club into another Ryman One North campaign, and his cause did not appear to be helped when he repeatedly found himself linked, intentionally or otherwise, with high profile footballing jobs – including only this week a return to West Ham following the sacking of Avram Grant.

"However, it seemed that Dicks was intent on remaining in the job and in the past week had contacted several players on the local non-League scene about joining Grays next season.

He was also in contact with some club officials about plans for the pre-season.

Whatever the outcome of those calls, it seems he was unable to reach agreement with the club’s hierarchy about going forward and his tenure was brought to a close after a meeting at Brentwood’s Holiday Inn last Tuesday," said The Enquirer.
Burns’ statement on the club’s website said simply: “Following a meeting this evening, Julian Dicks has left his position as manager of Grays Athletic by mutual consent. We would like to thank Julian for his efforts and with his future endeavours.”