PRESTATYN Town have announced the shock departure of John Lawless from the management team.

The JD Cymru North champions published a short statement on Thursday, January 7 stating the club had parted ways with Lawless, who took over from Neil Gibson following his resignation after their failure to secure a Tier 1 Domestic Licence from the Football Association of Wales and secure promotion.

Lawless is a Liverpool-based former player who has turned out for the likes of Marine, Colwyn Bay and The New Saints during a standout playing career.

His initial appointment was met by derision from large sections of the Seasiders’ fan base, who have become disenchanted with events at the club in recent months.

However, a series of eye-catching signings and some positive Zoom meetings with supporters saw momentum start to shift in favour of Lawless, who departs the club without having taken charge of a competitive fixture.

There is now some serious doubt as to whether any of the signings recently agreed will even link-up with the club after Lawless’ departure.

Many – if not all – agreed to sign due to their strong connection with the recently departed boss, with the likes of Sam Barnes, Johnny Hunt, Dale Jennings and Adam Buxton all part of the re-shaped squad primarily down to their previous relationships with Lawless.

One reprieve Prestatyn do have is the league start date, which doesn’t appear to be in the immediate future due to the Welsh Government restrictions surrounding COVID-19 pushing competitive action back even further.

If the squad does need yet another makeover, then an appointment needs to be sought quickly with the January transfer window now in full swing.

Ryan Turner is reportedly staying on as first-team manager, with further announcements expected from Bastion Gardens in due course.