Colin Lee’s contract at Bescot has been terminated by owner Jeff Bonser today. Assistant manager Paul Bracewell has also left the club and players Paul Merson and Simon Osborn will take charge of first team affairs for tomorrow’s clash with Norwich.
“The decision by Plymouth to delay the announcement of their new manager has created an atmosphere of intense uncertainty at this stage of the season. The situation was created by Colin Lee being prepared to talk to Plymouth about their managerial vacancy just six months after pledging his long-term future to Walsall.” said Bonser.
Lee’s assistant Bracewell then decided that “Colin Lee brought me to the club to work with him and it seems right that if he departs, I should go too.”
The news seems to have come as a shock to Lee, who pledged his future to Walsall earlier today; “I’m not walking out, I’ll never walk out and I’ve no intention of walking out on my contract at this football club. I’ve not behaved in any way incorrectly, and I’d never do anything behind the owner’s back like speaking to another club without Walsall’s permission. But Plymouth Argyle approached this football club, permission was granted for them to speak to me and I felt I had to go and see what they had to say although it was nothing more than a chat and I see nothing wrong with that.”
Lee is now a free agent and would be free to join Plymouth, although the second division leaders won’t appoint their new manager until next week. Lee joined Walsall in January 2002.