A new interim manager has been appointed at crisis-hit Lowestoft Town FC.
The troubled Trawlerboys had suffered further turmoil with the departure of its management team and three senior players.
Player-manager Rob Eagle, who helped secure the club’s Pitching In Isthmian North Division survival last season, has left alongside assistant manager Dan Goffin and goalkeeper coach Martin Newson.
Their exits come after Lowestoft were forced to postpone Saturday's away fixture at Canvey Island due to a combination of player illness, injuries, suspensions and other player absences.
Captain Dylan Ruffles - just a few weeks after making his 200th appearance for the club - midfielder Ben Haddoch and striker Kyle Baker have also left.
This follows the departure last week of attacking midfielder Chris Henderson, who had only rejoined the club for a third spell but left after making just two appearances.
On Monday night, club chairman Iain Small said in a statement on social media that The Trawlerboys had moved swiftly to appoint Cion Wren as the interim first team manager.
The chairman also confirmed a number of changes and "exciting news" for the future.
He said: "The club has been working for some time on the future of the coaching and playing staff, and we are now in a position to confirm a number of key changes in the first team structure."
With player-manager Eagle having not been in the dugout, or on the pitch, over recent matches due to an "administrative issue" Lowestoft had slipped to the bottom of the table.
A run of 10 successive league and cup defeats - scoring just one goal in that time and conceding 55 - comes after their last points were collected almost two months ago in a 2-0 home win over Suffolk rivals Felixstowe and Walton United.
Last Friday evening Lowestoft were "forced to withdraw" just hours before their fixture on Saturday with Canvey Island "due to a combination of player illness, injuries, suspensions and other player absences - 14 in total" that meant they were "not able to fulfil the fixture."
Lowestoft launched a GoFundMe campaign in September with the hope of raising £100,000 to clear its debts and upgrade its ageing facilities
The "Rebuild Lowestoft Town Football Club" appeal has now attracted 111 donations with £6,576 raised.
The chairman said: "I'm delighted to confirm that Cion Wren has agreed to become interim first team manager with immediate effect.
"Cion has been deeply involved with the club over many years and has most recently established the highly successful Scholarship Programme.
"He has already begun the process of leading the team for the season ahead, and there will be more exciting news to follow this week regarding player additions."
Mr Small also paid tribute to outgoing player-manager Rob Eagle.
He said: "Everyone at the club has huge respect for Eags and for his dedication over so many years, however he has agreed that a new direction for the club is needed.
"The fantastic end to last season, with Rob's leadership ensuring our league status, will be remembered by everyone for many years to come."
He thanked Goffin and Newson for their contributions and confirmed that a mutual agreement had been reached with outgoing skipper Ruffles to cancel his contract.
The chairman said: "Dylan has served the club as captain in the last two seasons, however the new management team have decided that a fresh start is best for the club and for Dylan.
"I'd like to thank Dylan for his efforts for The Trawlerboys both on and off the pitch and wish him well for this future career.
"Ben Haddoch has requested the termination of his contract in order to find a new club closer to his place of work, which we have agreed to, and he leaves with our best wishes.
"Our thanks also go to Kyle Baker for this hard work for the club since the start of the season, following his departure at the end of last week."
The chairman said that "a number of exciting announcements" are expected in the coming days and that "a positive message to share on the direction of the club" will be revealed at a fans’ forum on Friday, November 13, at 7.30pm at Crown Meadow.
Lowestoft are due to return to action this Saturday with a home match against seventh-placed Cambridge City.
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