THE HAWKS ARE FALLING: Manager Shaun North SACKED As Crisis Engulfs Local Football Club

THE axe has fallen at Westleigh Park.

Havant & Waterlooville Football Club — The Hawks — have sacked manager Shaun North with immediate effect, bringing a turbulent chapter in the club history to an abrupt end.

The announcement, made on November 11th 2025, came via an official club statement that was heavy on corporate language and light on specifics. Reading between the lines? Something clearly went very wrong.

What The Club Said

"

Following a detailed review and after careful consideration, the Board of Directors have agreed that it is in the best interests of Havant & Waterlooville Football Club to part company with Shaun North with immediate effect.

— Havant & Waterlooville FC Official Statement

The statement went on to thank North for his "commitment, professionalism, and hard work" — the kind of polite language clubs use when they are legally obligated to say something nice but clearly want to move on as quickly as possible.

A Short-Lived Reign

It was only last summer that North was appointed as the new Head Coach, arriving with genuine optimism from both the board and the supporters. His pedigree looked solid — connections to neighbours Portsmouth FC and experience in the non-league pyramid.

The appointment was meant to signal a fresh start. New ideas. New energy. A pathway back to competitiveness in the National League South.

Instead, it lasted barely a season.

What exactly went wrong remains unclear. The club statement references "the long-term interests and stability of the club" and emphasises that the board acts as "custodians" protecting the future "on and off the pitch."

Translation? There were problems beyond just results.

The Interim Solution

With North gone, day-to-day football operations have been handed to Cliff De Gordon. He will oversee the squad while the board begins "the process to identify and appoint a new manager."

For Hawks supporters, it is a familiar situation. Non-league football is notoriously volatile, with managerial changes happening with alarming frequency. The key now is whether the board can find someone who can genuinely stabilise the ship.

Fan Reaction: Divided

Scroll through any Hawks fan forum or social media page and you will find a divided fanbase. Some saw the writing on the wall and believe the change was overdue. Others feel North was never given the resources or time to succeed.

One supporter on a local Facebook group wrote: "We keep doing this. Sack the manager, bring in someone new, expect miracles, then sack them too. At what point do we look at the board?"

Another countered: "Results were not good enough. Simple as that. You cannot keep losing and expect to keep your job."

Both arguments have merit. The truth, as always, probably lies somewhere in the middle.

Rivalry Tensions

One factor that may have contributed to the pressure on North is the club fierce rivalries. Matches against Eastleigh, Worthing, and Weymouth have historically been feisty affairs, with "managerial, player and administrative issues" adding extra spice.

The main rivalry, though, is with Gosport Borough. When you are losing to your biggest rivals, the pressure intensifies exponentially. Every result is magnified. Every mistake is scrutinised.

For a manager already under pressure, those high-stakes local derbies can become make-or-break moments.

What Next For The Hawks?

The club says it will begin the search for a new manager "immediately." But who would want the job right now?

Non-league management is a brutal gig. The budgets are tight. The facilities are limited. The scrutiny from passionate local fans is intense. And as North just discovered, the patience threshold is not exactly generous.

The board will need to find someone with thick skin, tactical nous, and the ability to work with limited resources. They exist — but they are not easy to find.

A Club At A Crossroads

Havant & Waterlooville FC is at a crossroads. The National League South is unforgiving, and falling further down the pyramid would be disastrous for a club with genuine ambitions.

The decision to sack North might prove to be the right one in hindsight. Or it might be yet another chapter in a cycle of instability that has plagued too many non-league clubs.

For now, Hawks supporters are left waiting. Hoping. And probably arguing about it all on social media.

Such is football.