WINDSOR – After a three-year stint at the helm as head football coach at Bertie High School, veteran coach Greg Watford was dismissed as field boss of the Falcons on Thursday.

Watford told the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald that the dismissal came after a meeting with school Principal Calvin Moore.

In a letter e-mailed to Bertie County Schools Superintendent Elaine White along with members of the county school board. A copy of which was obtained by the News-Herald. In it, Watford states that the reason given for his termination was that “we want to go in a different direction”.

Moore was contacted by the News-Herald regarding the reason for the coach’s dismissal and Moore had no comment.

“I enjoyed my stay,” said Watford, who says he’ll always be a football coach, during a telephone interview over the weekend. “I’m sorry I’m leaving under these circumstances, but I wish nothing but the best for my successor.

“I really enjoyed working with the kids,” he continued. “I hope for nothing but success for the program and I hope the next coach gets everyone’s full support.

“I felt like the program was headed in the right direction. I (established) recruiting connections, had invites to both the NIKE camp and the Shrine Bowl combine and I had sent letters out to parents,” Watford said.

In addition to his athletic duties Watford is also an English teacher at the school.

Watford, who previously coached at Hertford County High, West Carteret, and more recently the former Northampton-East, took over the Falcon gridiron program in 2010. In his first year at the helm Bertie finished the season with a record of 2-9.

“I had just one four-year senior at that time and that was Thomas Perry,” said Watford.  Four-year seniors are lettermen who have been with the program for each year’s fall campaign. “He (Perry) was one of three seniors     in the program that year that went on to sign with colleges along with Corbin Rascoe and Darius Moody.”

Bertie was 4-5-1 in 2011 with a squad Watford says had two four-year seniors; one of whom, William Jenkins, signed to play for CIAA member FayettevilleStateUniversity.

In 2012 the former two-time state champions returned once again to the post-season as they finished the year with a regular-season mark of 6-5; though one of those wins was a 2-0 forfeit of a game that was scheduled but never played. Bertie lost to Northeastern Coastal Conference champion, Northeastern High School, 35-22, in the first round of the state playoffs.

“We had seven, four-year seniors on last year’s team,” said Watford. “Next year Bertie will have double-digit four-year seniors.

Watford’s record in Northeastern Coastal Conference play over the same three-year period was 4-14. During that span Bertie had never beaten three-time conference champ, Northeastern, or their main rival, HertfordCounty.

“I can understand a new administration wanting their people, and I respect that,” he added. “What I can’t understand is why the change wasn’t made in November after the season ended instead of waiting until April.

“It’s just time now for me to regroup, step back, and see what the future holds for me,” said Watford. “I’ve enjoyed it.”