GREIG DENHAM has said there is no animosity over his decision to quit as Rosyth manager which he put down to an underwhelming start to the season.

The 46-year-old, who starred for clubs such as Motherwell, Falkirk, St Mirren and Stenhousemuir during his playing career, handed in his resignation following a 6-0 thumping at Heriot-Watt University in the East of Scotland League, First Division, last Tuesday.

Denham, and his assistant manager, Graeme Meldrum, made their decision following an indifferent opening to the campaign, which saw the Rec win three of their opening seven games in league and cup.

A 4-0 home loss to St Andrews United, in the first round of the South Challenge Cup, came three days prior to the Heriot-Watt defeat, but Denham told Press Sport that it was a decision he had been mulling over even prior to those matches.

After opening with a league win at home to Whitehill Welfare, Rosyth lost on the road to Camelon Juniors and Arniston Rangers, but then earned wins over Burntisland Shipyard and Edinburgh South in East of Scotland Qualifying Cup, and Alex Jack Cup, respectively.

They, however, were then followed by the St Andrews and Heriot-Watt losses, and Denham explained: "You could probably detect that I wasn't particularly happy with the results, but more the performances, to be honest.

"We only won three out of seven competitive games and, even within those ones, I wasn't particularly pleased or excited by the performances. That was my main reason to be honest.

"On the back of two really poor results, I just thought it was time for me to move on. I'd put a lot of time and effort into it and, obviously, where we were at - it's still early in the season, and we had a few injuries - but I still feel as if the squad should've been doing better and competing better than what it had been.

"It was almost a year since I'd taken over, and to win three out of your opening seven games, without playing well, I would say in any of them to be honest, was my main reason why I thought it would be better for somebody else to take over and have a crack at it."

Denham, along with Meldrum and Stevie Kerrigan, arrived last September and took over from Russell Craig and Dean Ogg, who took up new roles on the club's committee.

Rosyth had lost seven of their first eight competitive games - their sole victory coming in an Alex Jack Cup tie with Fauldhouse United - but Denham immediately guided them to their first league win, a 5-0 rout of Glenrothes.

From then, the team picked up another 12 wins from their next 24 league outings, finishing seventh in the 16-team First Division.

Hopes were high for a promotion challenge this time around, but, despite picking up their second win of the season on Saturday, in their first game without Denham, they are six points off the promotion places after five matches.

"I think the last couple of games, 4-0 and 6-0, accelerated it, but it's something that I'd been thinking even prior to that, with the way the team had been playing in the competitive games," he continued.

"Albeit, in pre-season, we'd competed well, but the proof's in the pudding in the real competitive games.

"We did have injuries to fairly influential players within the squad, but I just felt as if the squad should still have been doing better.

"Maybe it was just that my expectations and demands have maybe been unreasonable, I don't know, but I just feel as if the squad should have been doing better than what it had been.

"That was really my reason. That was almost a year we've been in the door. Obviously, we had a relatively decent season last season, but I think we've got an order from the club to try and kick on. I was expecting a better start to the campaign, that's for sure."

He added: "I wish Russell, Dean and the rest of the committee all the best. There was no animosty over it, and I would like to remain on good terms with them."

Club chairman Craig said: "I cannot thank him enough, alongside Kegs and Mel, his coaching team, for what they did for us last season.

"They obviously came in for myself and Dean, steadied the ship and had a really strong end to the season. It's just football.

"He basically said, look, I think we need a new voice in the changing room, and that was it. There's absolutely no hard feelings. As I say, I cannot thank him enough for what he did for the club as a whole."