Whitstable chairman Adam Lightowler has revealed the club have parted ways with manager Ian Cox by mututal consent.

The former Gillingham and Trinidad & Tobago World Cup defender arrived at the club in November as part of a tandem management team with Wayne Wilson, with whom he works in a coaching capacity at Priestfield, where Cox made more than 150 appearances between 2003 and 2008.

However Wilson left last month amid an off-field takeover and Cox departed on Tuesday in the wake of Saturday’s 4-0 derby defeat to Faversham which left the Oystermen nine points adrift at the foot of the table and effectively 16 points from guaranteed safety with 10 games remaining.

Mr Lightowler - who took over last month in the wake of Gary Johnson’s exit - said: “Ian has left by mutual consent.

“He feels he has taken the club as far as he possibly can. Given where we are in the table we have decided to go our separate ways.”

Mr Lightowler revealed Colin Patching, currently under-21 boss and newly-appointed Club Development Manager, would take over the running of the first-team in a caretaker capacity until the end of the season.

Mr Lightowler said: “We are looking to restructure the club and we want to take our time and make sure we get it right. We aren’t going to be forced into doing anything in a hurry. Our next move has got to be right for the club.

“The club needs direction and so Colin will come in as caretaker, probably until the end of the season, though it is open for discussion depending on what happens.

"There are a few names on the board and we’d welcome interest from anyone who wants to join us in taking the club forward in the future."

He added: "Hopefully we have hit rock-bottom and it’s all up from here. We will give it our best shot to try and stay in the division, we have a fantastic group of players and the best fans in the league. We want to do it for them.”

Town began the season with Will Graham at the helm, though Simon Halsey replaced him before the end of August, only to be relieved of his duties after the 2-1 defeat to fellow strugglers Chipstead on November 10, the day when Town sunk to the foot of the table and where they have stayed ever since.