BASILDON United manager Craig Gillam says his dramatic decision to stay at the club in January has help the Bees to an Essex Senior League title surge.

Gillam resigned following the 4-3 win against Stansted, citing a disagreement with Chairman Dave Maxwell as the reason for his departure, before returning hours later after the majority of the first-team squad walked out of the club.

Since then, Basildon have won nine, drawn three and lost just two of their matches and now sit a point off top spot with a game in hand on league leaders FC Romania.

And Gillam said the decision to leave and return has brought the squad close together.

“To be honest I think it helped,” said Gillam. “We have such a close-knit group here and all of them really care for each other which is a contributing factor. They all wanted me to stay as manager and the run this team has gone on since that night has proved staying to be the right decision.

“The boys said they wanted to play for me and that is flattering as I doubt this team would be in the shape it currently is if I had walked away.

“We lost to Eton Manor but, aside from that, our form has been very good and I am very encouraged heading into the final games of the season that we can achieve something great.

“People often say how well we are doing and that is genuinely flattering. I said at the start of the season that the aim was to put Basildon back on the map and we have done that.

“We have a strong local core and I believe that is very important. About 10 of our boys are from south Essex and there is a real family feel around the place at the moment.”

Waltham Forest have won three of their last six to climb away from bottom side Newham and Gillam says games against those teams at the bottom are ones he would rather avoid in the closing weeks.

“Waltham Forest are improving and games against the likes of us and Bowers & Pitsea are seen as cup finals by those at the bottom.

“We need to make sure we don’t slip up.”