John Suter insists his love affair with football is still strong despite Worthing United’s relegation completing a miserable year for the veteran manager.

Suter has experienced two sackings and two relegations over the last 12 months and admits he has found it depressing at times.

The 68-year-old was dismissed after 19 years in the hot-seat at Horsham YMCA last year when he was unable to preserve the club’s Ryman League status.

He took over at Hassocks but was shown the door after just 15 games in charge before accepting the task of trying to rescue Worthing United in October.

Victories for the three teams above them last weekend extinguished any lingering hopes that Suter could perform a great escape and left him pondering his future.

He has not ruled out leading the Mavericks in division two next season but has also hinted he may take a break from the game.

Suter said: “My future is I’ve got a game today and then another on Tuesday and then I’ll have a break for a couple of weeks to weigh up possibilities for next season.

“I honestly don’t know what I am going to do. I might stay at Worthing, I might get involved in another club or I might get some dogs and walk them on Saturdays!

“It has been a lot of hard work this season. When you are successful it seems easier but when you are not it becomes hard.

“I’ve had a tough year. I’ve experienced the full spectrum of highs and lows in football but it doesn’t change the fact it is still a smashing game.

“People said to me I should have finished at the top when I led YMCA to ninth in the Ryman League but that doesn’t really matter to me.

“I am involved in football for the love of the game not just to win. I have been involved in football since I was 15 and so to not have it in my life would be a big thing.

“I still enjoy it. Even when we lost on Tuesday and were bottom of the table I didn’t come away depressed because everybody played as well as they could and that is all you can ask.”

Worthing were rooted to the bottom of the table when Suter became their fourth manager of the season in October.

The departure of Paul Curtis had led to a walkout by a number of senior players and his replacement Stuart Smith only lasted one game in his charge. Mick Miller was then appointed to the post but was axed after three games to make way for Suter.

Suter definitely made them more difficult to beat but accepts the responsibility for the club’s relegation rests with him.

He added: “I did my best and it wasn’t good enough. The buck stops with me.

“When I took over they had just lost 8-0 and 14-1 and the club was in disarray but I am not making any excuses.

“The club has more stability now and we’ve gained some respectability in terms of results but unfortunately we didn’t get enough points.

“I felt there was a chance to get out of it because there were a lot of games to go. I knew it was going to be hard work but I was optimistic we could do it. Ultimately the responsibility is mine.”