SACKED coach Tony Murphy has hit back at stinging claims Forest FC “died” on his watch.

Murphy told Guardian Series Sport that boss Tony Mercer and him did their level best in an impossible situation.

A “grim” run of form saw the pair replaced at the Ryman one north club during the new year.

“There’s talk of the club being left in a mess which makes me angry,” said Murphy.

“As far as I’m concerned the club was in a mess when we took over.”

New Stags boss Olawale Ojalabe told this paper he must “ressurect” Forest FC after what happened before he arrived.

But Murphy said a lack of support from the hierarchy let boss Mercer and him down. He claimed he had to fork out for training sessions himself, while Mercer paid for items of kit for players.

“There were promises made to us which were not kept.

“Football is all about morale so it hurt when promises to pay expenses were made, but then no petrol money was paid.

“So we were trying to get morale up, but we were training on a five-a-side pitch. That is just not good enough for a 25-man squad in senior football.

“The only proper training we were able to do was during the pre-season, before we got moved off onto the astroturf.

“He (Ojalabe) talks about players’ commitment, but I saw the chairman once in my time there, when he got rid of me," he continued.

“I was asked to coach a senior football team and did the best I could with the facilities.

“But it was not proper coaching, that was impossible.

“Ryman One is a good standard and you cannot just turn up on matchday without proper training during the week.”

Ojalabe has overseen two wins, after last weekend’s 1-0 win over Ilford.

This weekend, AFC Sudbury come to Cricklefields.

“Well done the to club for turning results around,” said Murphy.

“But that squad would be in the same state as we were, if they had to put up with what we did.”