James Rowe, 39, has resigned as manager of AFC Fylde after being charged with sexual assault this week; Rowe is due to appear in court on November 7; Rowe was previously manager of Chesterfield
Thursday 29 September 2022 19:50, UK
James Rowe has resigned as AFC Fylde manager after being charged with sexual assault earlier this week.
Rowe, 39, was charged on Wednesday and is due to appear in court on November 7.
A Fylde statement said: "Following a meeting this afternoon, the board have accepted James Rowe's resignation as manager of the club. Andy Taylor will take temporary charge until a new manager is appointed."
Rowe left Chesterfield by mutual consent in February with the club top of the National League after being suspended by the Spireites two weeks earlier "pending an investigation into allegations of misconduct".
Derbyshire Police said in a statement on Wednesday: "A man has been charged with sexual assault.
"In January this year, officers received a report of a man having sexually assaulted a woman in Chesterfield, with the offence alleged to have taken place in November 2021.
"James Rowe, 39, of Breaston, in Derby, has now been charged and is due to appear before magistrates at Chesterfield Justice Centre on Monday, November 7."
Fylde, of National League North, appointed Rowe in March on a three-year deal with chairman David Haythornthwaite saying: "We have done our due diligence on James, and while it is clear he is no shrinking violet, we are confident that James will bring a winning mentality to the club, which we all want."
The club are fourth in National League North after drawing 2-2 with Spennymoor Town on Tuesday evening.
Rowe was appointed at Chesterfield in November 2020 from Gloucester City and led the club from the relegation zone to the National League play-offs where they were beaten by Notts County.
Last season, Chesterfield played Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup fourth round, losing 5-1. They were top of the National League when Rowe was suspended on January 24. The following month, Chesterfield and Rowe agreed to terminate his contract with immediate effect.
Chesterfield vice-chair Martin Thacker told an AGM in March: "We would not want to get rid of a manager that has got this team top of the league unless there was good reason to have to part company.
"The difficulty for us is that it is not appropriate for us to disclose the elements of what happened, the allegations, the insinuations, and all the things that were put to us."
