Keith Lamb: “Before Gareth’s departure we hadn’t sacked a manager in 15 years.
“But we had to do what Steve Gibson considers and I consider to be in the best interests of the club.
“The club is not our little plaything. It belongs to the town and to the fans.
“But we looked at the overall picture and decided the time was right for a change. I believe we did it in the best way we could.
“It was never going to be easy. Gareth is an exceptional man. He gave tremendous service to this football club over nine years. I consider him as a friend.
“But we had run out of a little bit of steam and myself and the chairman felt that we needed a change.
“We needed a new impetus and we are hopeful that Gordon Strachan will provide it.”