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Former Grimsby Town and Barrow boss Michael Jolley has stepped down as manager of non-league side Bury after just two days following a backlash against his appointment.

It relates to an incident in 2009, when Jolley pleaded guilty to having sex with a 15-year-old girl.

He was sentenced to a year’s probation and placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for 12 months.

Jolley has always maintained the girl did not disclose her true age to him, telling him she was 19. In a statement on X on Sunday, he said subsequent investigations established he was “deceived, and at no time did I act maliciously”.

He has not been prevented from continuing his career in football and has worked at seven clubs since the incident, including two in the Football League.

Bury, who play in the eighth-tier Northern Premier League Division One West, announced the 48-year-old’s appointment on Friday.

It drew criticism on social media and Bury fans chanted for his removal as he watched Saturday’s 2-1 win against Mossley in the stands at Gigg Lane. The away team’s supporters also sang derogatory songs about him.

In a statement on Sunday, Bury said the club recognised “the strength of feeling expressed in recent days by supporters, staff, partners and players, and the very real impact the board’s decision to appoint Michael has had on individuals connected to the club”.

They included a statement from Jolley, which said: “I do not wish my presence to deter the board from its mission of returning the club to its rightful place in the EFL.”

In his statement on X, Jolley said his appointment had become a “distraction” for the club and he would “relinquish the opportunity to become first-team manager”.

Bury said he had been “relieved of his duties by mutual consent”.

In response, some fans called on board members to resign.

Bury said assistant manager Tim Lees would take charge of the side on an interim basis while the board undertakes “a wider review of club operations”.

“We will also be engaging directly with players, staff and stakeholders to listen, learn and ensure that appropriate support is available,” the club added.

“Our immediate priority is the welfare of our people and the stability of the club and our community.

“We believe this step is necessary to help restore confidence, create space for reflection and allow Bury FC to move forward in a way that reflects our values and responsibilities.”

The club said it remained committed to “acting with integrity, transparency and respect”.

Samantha Harman – a Her Game Too ambassador for the club’s supporters’ group – said there had been no advance notice of Jolley’s appointment.

“At the time the news was released, I was away with work and flew back immediately,” Harman posted on X. “I went straight to the game and made my feelings very clear to members of the board at the earliest possible opportunity.

“Since the announcement, I have had to manage the very real impact this decision has had on our volunteer base, including volunteers stepping down. This has been an extremely difficult situation to navigate.

“As volunteers, we are required to adhere to a social media policy, which limits our ability to publicly express personal feelings or opinions online.

“However, I want to be absolutely clear – the Her Game Too team at Bury FC was fully aligned with the concerns raised by supporters and did not stand by the decision made in this appointment.”

Jolley was put in charge after Dave McNabb stepped down as manager earlier this month to become head of football operations.

Announcing his appointment on Friday, a Bury statement said: “Michael’s blend of strategic expertise, coaching pedigree and global management experience makes him the right leader to inspire our squad and unite our supporters.”

In his statement on X, Jolley said: “I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work at seven fantastic professional clubs since 2009. On joining each of those clubs, I have always proactively raised this incident after being offered employment. All those clubs considered the evidence and reached their own judgement based on the facts.

“Now in 2025, 16 and a half years later, my CRB [Criminal Records Bureau] check has long since shown as clear but in the interests of transparency and openness, I still ensure that any prospective employers have visibility of the issue if I do receive any offer of employment, and I did so once again in my discussions with Bury FC.

“If prospective employers wish to view the evidence or character references that were heard in court in 2009, I also ensure these documents are made available to them.

“Football being what it is, I have become accustomed to being abused in stadia and online by people unwilling or unable to accept the facts. Since I have a clear conscience regarding the incident, I have always believed that it is right that I stand my ground in the face of the abuse I have received during my football career.

Former Grimsby Town and Barrow boss Michael Jolley has stepped down as manager of non-league side Bury after just two days following a backlash against his appointment.

It relates to an incident in 2009, when Jolley pleaded guilty to having sex with a 15-year-old girl.

He was sentenced to a year’s probation and placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for 12 months.

Jolley has always maintained the girl did not disclose her true age to him, telling him she was 19. In a statement on X on Sunday, he said subsequent investigations established he was “deceived, and at no time did I act maliciously”.

He has not been prevented from continuing his career in football and has worked at seven clubs since the incident, including two in the Football League.

Bury, who play in the eighth-tier Northern Premier League Division One West, announced the 48-year-old’s appointment on Friday.

It drew criticism on social media and Bury fans chanted for his removal as he watched Saturday’s 2-1 win against Mossley in the stands at Gigg Lane. The away team’s supporters also sang derogatory songs about him.

In a statement on Sunday, Bury said the club recognised “the strength of feeling expressed in recent days by supporters, staff, partners and players, and the very real impact the board’s decision to appoint Michael has had on individuals connected to the club”.

They included a statement from Jolley, which said: “I do not wish my presence to deter the board from its mission of returning the club to its rightful place in the EFL.”

In his statement on X, Jolley said his appointment had become a “distraction” for the club and he would “relinquish the opportunity to become first-team manager”.

Bury said he had been “relieved of his duties by mutual consent”.

In response, some fans called on board members to resign.

Bury said assistant manager Tim Lees would take charge of the side on an interim basis while the board undertakes “a wider review of club operations”.

“We will also be engaging directly with players, staff and stakeholders to listen, learn and ensure that appropriate support is available,” the club added.

“Our immediate priority is the welfare of our people and the stability of the club and our community.

“We believe this step is necessary to help restore confidence, create space for reflection and allow Bury FC to move forward in a way that reflects our values and responsibilities.”

The club said it remained committed to “acting with integrity, transparency and respect”.

Samantha Harman – a Her Game Too ambassador for the club’s supporters’ group – said there had been no advance notice of Jolley’s appointment.

“At the time the news was released, I was away with work and flew back immediately,” Harman posted on X. “I went straight to the game and made my feelings very clear to members of the board at the earliest possible opportunity.

“Since the announcement, I have had to manage the very real impact this decision has had on our volunteer base, including volunteers stepping down. This has been an extremely difficult situation to navigate.

“As volunteers, we are required to adhere to a social media policy, which limits our ability to publicly express personal feelings or opinions online.

“However, I want to be absolutely clear – the Her Game Too team at Bury FC was fully aligned with the concerns raised by supporters and did not stand by the decision made in this appointment.”

Jolley was put in charge after Dave McNabb stepped down as manager earlier this month to become head of football operations.

Announcing his appointment on Friday, a Bury statement said: “Michael’s blend of strategic expertise, coaching pedigree and global management experience makes him the right leader to inspire our squad and unite our supporters.”

In his statement on X, Jolley said: “I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work at seven fantastic professional clubs since 2009. On joining each of those clubs, I have always proactively raised this incident after being offered employment. All those clubs considered the evidence and reached their own judgement based on the facts.

“Now in 2025, 16 and a half years later, my CRB [Criminal Records Bureau] check has long since shown as clear but in the interests of transparency and openness, I still ensure that any prospective employers have visibility of the issue if I do receive any offer of employment, and I did so once again in my discussions with Bury FC.

“If prospective employers wish to view the evidence or character references that were heard in court in 2009, I also ensure these documents are made available to them.

“Football being what it is, I have become accustomed to being abused in stadia and online by people unwilling or unable to accept the facts. Since I have a clear conscience regarding the incident, I have always believed that it is right that I stand my ground in the face of the abuse I have received during my football career.

On the morning of what would prove to be one of the finest days in St Mirren’s history, Stephen Robinson had his team in tears.

The manager, who will now surely go down as one of the best to ever guide the Paisley side, gathered the thoughts, feelings and messages from the families of his squad to motivate them for their Premier Sports Cup final meeting with Celtic.

‘This is who you’re doing it for’ was the message.

“We had a little moment before the game, where the manager showed us a video of all our families and we were all emotional,” said defender Miguel Freckleton.

“None of us knew about it, so he stuck on a family photo and then he started going around and everyone was ready for their family.

Conor McMenamin, who Robinson brought over from Northern Ireland two years ago, joked: “I didn’t think it motivated us, we were all sad getting on the bus!”

Injured captain Mark O’Hara admitted: “There were a few tears.”

It perhaps sums up Robinson and his management best that he was still able to surprise the squad he knows so well on the day they needed it most.

Few would think getting the waterworks going would work wonders, but it did that and then some as St Mirren carried the weight of responsibility on their shoulders with little fuss.

Before a ball was kicked, the team saluted their supporters in a way that, even then, 22 minutes before Marcus Fraser headed them in front, suggested they knew this was their day.

“We just felt it, we had that belief all week,” said the second-minute goalscorer.

“We knew what we had,” Freckleton stressed. “We’ve got unity, do you know what I mean?

“They’ve obviously come in with a new manager, and that togetherness might not be there, because the manager’s not built that yet, but we knew we had that.”

“We met the fans at the calendar signing this week and this was all they spoke about,” two-goal hero Jonah Ayunga told BBC Scotland.

Not a bad day’s work at all.

And in truth, it wasn’t even the most gruelling day at the office for the most outstanding of rewards.

When they were here last month for the semi-final against Motherwell, the St Mirren players were met with a ‘faith over fear’ tifo from the fans.

On a gloomy day at Hampden, St Mirren had all the faith in themselves to achieve their second success in this competition.

“I said to the players if you play with fear, that means you’re not organised, that means you don’t have belief in you ability,” Robinson explained.

That message rung true in the second half as they dismantled the cup holders.

Having ended the first-half on the back foot after Reo Hatate hammered home a leveller, St Mirren might have been expected to retreat into their shell.

But Robinson ripped up the script.

“I wasn’t happy with the last 20 minutes of the first half,” he added.

“We changed it, put Keanu Baccus to man-mark [Callum] McGregor, and our two centre-forwards man-marked their outside centre-halves.

“We left the middle one on the ball, and that’s where we pressed from.

Said in jest, it’s far from the first time Robinson has masterminded a fine St Mirren win. But this was his most important victory.

Danny Lennon, who led the Saints to their first League Cup triumph in 2013, said Robinson had “laid the foundations for an incredible era” at the club.

Three consecutive top-six finishes and a return to European football for the first time in 37 years brought accolades – but he wanted silverware to show for it.

Robinson had twice taken Motherwell to Hampden finals, falling short against Celtic each time.

He came up trumps in his third final – with no luck involved.

“This is once in a lifetime,” said Ayunga. “I’ve been playing since I was 17, I’m nearly 30, this was the first time I had a chance to win anything.

“The manager deserves it. You see what he’s done year upon year. This is the icing on the cake.”

McMenamin, 30, added: “We came here and believed in ourselves, believed we could beat Celtic.

“We deserved to put our hands on that trophy. It’s the only thing this team hasn’t got in the last few years – top-six finishes, Europe. To get silverware now, we’ll go down in history.”

Go down in history they will. This will be a team who are talked about in the highest regard around Paisley. Robinson won’t ever need to buy a pint again.

On the morning of what would prove to be one of the finest days in St Mirren’s history, Stephen Robinson had his team in tears.

The manager, who will now surely go down as one of the best to ever guide the Paisley side, gathered the thoughts, feelings and messages from the families of his squad to motivate them for their Premier Sports Cup final meeting with Celtic.

‘This is who you’re doing it for’ was the message.

“We had a little moment before the game, where the manager showed us a video of all our families and we were all emotional,” said defender Miguel Freckleton.

“None of us knew about it, so he stuck on a family photo and then he started going around and everyone was ready for their family.

Conor McMenamin, who Robinson brought over from Northern Ireland two years ago, joked: “I didn’t think it motivated us, we were all sad getting on the bus!”

Injured captain Mark O’Hara admitted: “There were a few tears.”

It perhaps sums up Robinson and his management best that he was still able to surprise the squad he knows so well on the day they needed it most.

Few would think getting the waterworks going would work wonders, but it did that and then some as St Mirren carried the weight of responsibility on their shoulders with little fuss.

Before a ball was kicked, the team saluted their supporters in a way that, even then, 22 minutes before Marcus Fraser headed them in front, suggested they knew this was their day.

“We just felt it, we had that belief all week,” said the second-minute goalscorer.

“We knew what we had,” Freckleton stressed. “We’ve got unity, do you know what I mean?

“They’ve obviously come in with a new manager, and that togetherness might not be there, because the manager’s not built that yet, but we knew we had that.”

“We met the fans at the calendar signing this week and this was all they spoke about,” two-goal hero Jonah Ayunga told BBC Scotland.

Not a bad day’s work at all.

And in truth, it wasn’t even the most gruelling day at the office for the most outstanding of rewards.

When they were here last month for the semi-final against Motherwell, the St Mirren players were met with a ‘faith over fear’ tifo from the fans.

On a gloomy day at Hampden, St Mirren had all the faith in themselves to achieve their second success in this competition.

“I said to the players if you play with fear, that means you’re not organised, that means you don’t have belief in you ability,” Robinson explained.

That message rung true in the second half as they dismantled the cup holders.

Having ended the first-half on the back foot after Reo Hatate hammered home a leveller, St Mirren might have been expected to retreat into their shell.

But Robinson ripped up the script.

“I wasn’t happy with the last 20 minutes of the first half,” he added.

“We changed it, put Keanu Baccus to man-mark [Callum] McGregor, and our two centre-forwards man-marked their outside centre-halves.

“We left the middle one on the ball, and that’s where we pressed from.

Said in jest, it’s far from the first time Robinson has masterminded a fine St Mirren win. But this was his most important victory.

Danny Lennon, who led the Saints to their first League Cup triumph in 2013, said Robinson had “laid the foundations for an incredible era” at the club.

Three consecutive top-six finishes and a return to European football for the first time in 37 years brought accolades – but he wanted silverware to show for it.

Robinson had twice taken Motherwell to Hampden finals, falling short against Celtic each time.

He came up trumps in his third final – with no luck involved.

“This is once in a lifetime,” said Ayunga. “I’ve been playing since I was 17, I’m nearly 30, this was the first time I had a chance to win anything.

“The manager deserves it. You see what he’s done year upon year. This is the icing on the cake.”

McMenamin, 30, added: “We came here and believed in ourselves, believed we could beat Celtic.

“We deserved to put our hands on that trophy. It’s the only thing this team hasn’t got in the last few years – top-six finishes, Europe. To get silverware now, we’ll go down in history.”

Go down in history they will. This will be a team who are talked about in the highest regard around Paisley. Robinson won’t ever need to buy a pint again.

On a weekend when Phil Foden and Cole Palmer helped Manchester City and Chelsea to vital Premier League victories, Aston Villa‘s Morgan Rogers showed just why he retains a firm grip on the number 10 position in Thomas Tuchel’s England set-up.

Villa’s eight-match winning run in all competitions appeared under serious threat at the midway point of Sunday’s game at third-bottom West Ham, who led 2-1 at the break against a side who appeared jaded and short of inspiration after Thursday’s Europa League victory at Basel.

In the second half, however, Rogers decided to take matters into his own hands.

The 23-year-old scored his first of the afternoon five minutes into the second half, making it 2-2 from close range after West Ham had failed to clear Youri Tielemans’ low cross into the box.

Then, with the final 10 minutes approaching, Rogers collected a loose ball 30 yards from goal and was given time and space to slam a powerful, swerving strike into the top right corner of Alphonse Areola’s goal and clinch a ninth straight victory for Unai Emery’s third-placed team.

That magnificent effort capped a fine all-round performance from Rogers and reaffirmed his status as England’s first-choice number 10 at next summer’s World Cup – despite world-class competition from Foden, Palmer and Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham.

“He scored two fantastic goals and, for me, he is not just going to be in the squad next summer,” said former England forward and Match of the Day pundit Theo Walcott. “He is a dead cert to be a starter for England at the World Cup – 100%.

As Walcott alluded to, Rogers was not merely a goal threat in Sunday’s 3-2 win, despite registering five of Villa’s seven attempts.

He enjoyed more touches inside the West Ham box than any of his colleagues at London Stadium, while he also completed more than 90% of his 22 passes in the final third – the joint-highest ratio among Villa players.

“He is such an intelligent player,” added Walcott. “He’s the kind of player that recognises a weakness in the structure of the team.”

Reflecting on Rogers’ delightful second goal, the former Arsenal player continued: “You think of [Cristiano] Ronaldo and how, if you give them time and space on the ball when they shoot from distance, they are able to manipulate the ball the way they want to. Well, Rogers is able to do that.

“Of course, he got that space he was looking for against West Ham. If you give time and space to any player like that, you are in trouble, especially him because of the way he hits the ball.”

Unsurprisingly, Rogers said after the game he was “pretty confident right now”.

He got eight league goals last season and has five already in this campaign.

Rogers told Match of the Day: “I’m scoring quite a few lately. If I score and we win, then I’m happy. I want to score as much as possible and help the team.

Foden has spoken about his off-field struggles last season, as well as carrying an injury, which meant he was unable to showcase his best form.

But the 25-year-old is approaching close to what he is capable of, netting his 10th goal of the season in City’s hard-fought win at Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Six of those strikes have come in his past five games, highlighting how he is hitting his stride as the season starts to ramp up and City chase down league leaders Arsenal.

Foden’s goal – a rasping a low effort into the bottom corner following fine work by team-mate Rayan Cherki – will have impressed the watching Tuchel at Selhurst Park.

Despite scoring, though, Foden lost possession 16 times against Palace, the most for his team alongside Matheus Nunes.

It was something boss Pep Guardiola noted after the game as he said Foden “lost a lot of balls and was in a rush”.

“He needs to stay calm and then change the gear in the right moment,” added the Spaniard. “Playing in the same gear, he is so accelerated.

“He is so young, he listens and saying that, he has been doing an incredibly terrific season.”

Foden agreed, telling BBC Match of the Day: “In the first half I gave a lot of balls away and I was trying to do too much with it. Against Palace, you need to relax and play extra passes.

“That is the standard I set myself and so does the manager. He knows there is more to come from me.”

Foden’s prowess from outside the area means he has scored eight league goals from such position since the beginning of the 2023-24 campaign, with only Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe (14) scoring more across Europe’s big five leagues during that period.

He has also now scored in four consecutive Premier Leagues matches for the second time in his career.

“He is in outstanding form,” said ex-England goalkeeper and Match of the Day pundit Joe Hart. “You can tell he’s in unreal flow right now.

After 87 days without making the scoresheet, Palmer ended his barren run by scoring Chelsea’s first-half opener in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Everton – also in front of England manager Tuchel.

The 23-year-old is still managing a groin injury which has kept him out of for a large part of the campaign so far, while he also broke his toe in an accident at home before a 2-0 win over Burnley in late November.

After rusty displays against Leeds United and Bournemouth, Saturday’s calm finish from Malo Gusto’s pass suggested he has lost none of the instincts that helped him hit 15 goals in 37 league outings last term.

“What I find incredible is people saying Cole Palmer will be a problem when he comes back from injury,” Stephen Warnock told Final Score on Saturday. “He’s been unbelievable.

“I put him in the category as one of the best players in the world.”

Tuchel, of course, has another world-class ace up his sleeve too in Bellingham, who scored one and set up another against Madrid’s Clasico rivals Barcelona at the end of October.

But, like Xabi Alonso’s side as a whole, he has struggled for consistency of late.

The 22-year-old has scored four goals and set up another three this season, having registered 30 goal involvements in all competitions last term for Los Blancos.

Moreover, the former Borussia Dortmund midfielder’s unhappy reaction to being substituted in England’s World Cup qualifying win over Albania last month is unlikely to have boosted his chances of starting the Three Lions’ opening World Cup game against Croatia on Wednesday, 17 June.

“I just think you need someone who can do everything,” added Walcott. “Not just be good on the ball, but also be able to work defensively hard and set the press.