Jim Cooper may feel safe in his job as manager of Met Police, but he understands the frustrations faced by others in a different boat.

Cooper has every sympathy with Mark Harper, who resigned as manager of Hampton & Richmond at the weekend, saying club politics and financial issues made his position untenable.

And while Cooper is not casting aspersions directly at the Beavers board, he said many clubs do not consider the needs of the manager.

He said: “When a club is unlikely to go up, a board often cuts the player budget to save money.

“I can understand why it does that but it can mean some of the higher paid  players will leave.

“Moreover, players talk. If they have their wages cut, despite promises to the contrary at the beginning of the season, they will tell other players not to join because the board cannot keep their promises.

“It makes life very difficult for the manager. Mark is a very good manager and he will get his chance again – I would be the first to recommend him to a club.

“I am very fortunate here – the club has always been supportive of what I’ve wanted to do.”

The Met host Hampton & Richmond in the Ryman Premier League this weekend, but they had the small matter of a Surrey Senior Cup semi-final last night at Godalming Town.

Cooper said: “We’re really looking forward to it. And with either Sutton United or AFC Wimbledon in the final, we want to be there.”

The boss will be hoping his strikers rediscover their scoring boots after drawing a blank in a 1-0 defeat at Kingstonian on Tuesday night – Charlie Collins was one of the guilty parties.