Ex-Dagenham & Redbridge captain pleased with season at Mile End Stadium club and work achieved by his management team

Anwar Uddin admits the time was right for him and his management team of Steve Clark and Richard Bates to depart Sporting Bengal United.

The Mile End Stadium club announced earlier today that the trio would be stepping down and leaving the Essex Senior League club.

It has been an incredible year for the east Londoners, though, as they bounced back from the disappointment of the 2014/15 season.

Bengal ended bottom during that campaign, but Uddin, alongside Clark and Bates, helped the club achieve a record points total in the division of 46 points and come 12th in the table this year.

“I think the time was right to announce the news and give a new manager time to prepare for next season, but we’ve had a fantastic time in the Essex Senior League,” said the 34-year-old.

“We had an offer in January to leave from a club in a higher division that was battling against relegation, but we turned it down. The three of us felt it was important we didn’t leave halfway through and end what we started.

“Myself, Steve and Rich sat down when the season finish and have decided the time was right to leave. We have already had some clubs talk to us.

“We turned one down because of the distance. I think we are fortunate enough now to be in a position where we can look at our options and see what is best.

“Not many people would have taken the job at Sporting Bengal last year because without being disrespectful, the club was in a bad state.

“We had to pretty much start from scratch and rebuild the team. It has been a great learning curve for me as a young manager and I’d recommend it to anyone looking to get an opportunity in football.”

Uddin hailed the help of Clark and Bates with the duo playing a crucial role in the success achieved by the east Londoners this year.

Bengal’s boss has a full time job with the Football Supporters’ Federation and when he hasn’t been able to attend games, his fellow coaches have taken on the baton.

However it isn’t the end of Uddin, Clark and Bates affiliation with the Mile End Stadium club either.

“I am lucky to have been involved in the Essex Senior League this year because it has been an amazing season,” said the ex-Bengal boss.

“The title went to the last day and so many good things happened, but from our point of view, we looked at whether Sporting Bengal could get promoted?

“I don’t think the club could and it doesn’t have the finances to do it either. But we come in last year and we have really enjoyed working with everyone and in the community.

“We aren’t leaving it completely, I’ve set up an academy at Sporting Bengal and there are lots of good people in the community who can take it on and we’ll always have an affiliation with the club.”