JUST when it looked as though Scarborough were sailing into calmer waters after the High Court agreed that the club could go into administration on Tuesday, manager Russ Slade announced he would sensationally quit after today's game at Dagenham.

On Thursday, Mark Loftus of Administrators BKR Haines Watts was at the club when Slade returned from a disciplinary hearing at Huddersfield.

"When I came back from that hearing and saw the administrators - well in truth I actually shook hands with one - because they were obviously far too busy to discuss anything with the manager of the football club, which saddened me to a certain extent," he said. "I don't like to be treated in a discourteous manner. I haven't got another job to go to, so I have made the decision independently of any other."

Slade joined the club just over 14 months ago and today's game at Dagenham was his 50th in charge.

Chairman Malcolm Reynolds was visibly shocked when Slade gave him the news.

"I'm shocked and saddened. It's been a very difficult week for everyone at the football club - it's been a difficult year - and I think that this kind of shock at the end of the week just about rounds it off!" he said. "I have spoken to Russell and his mind is clearly made up. I will obviously have to respect that decision, but I haven't had time to decide or think where we go from here or what we do.

"What we're going to have to do - once we get over the initial shock - is roll our sleeves up and stick together and go forward."

Updated: 11:46 Saturday, January 18, 2003