KEVIN Watson has revealed that he was on the verge of completing six signings for Maldon and Tiptree prior to being appointed as Stevenage’s assistant manager.

Watson had accepted an offer to lead the Ryman League division one north side but barely a week later, took over as Teddy Sheringham’s right-hand man at the League Two club.

The 41-year-old was also appointed as a full-time coach at Colchester United last month and admits he agonised over going back on his decision to join Sheringham at Stevenage.

Watson insists he was very reluctant to let down U’s chairman Robbie Cowling, along with Ed Garty at Maldon.

But he admitted the lure of working alongside his former Spurs and Colchester team-mate Sheringham was too good to turn down.

Watson said: “I’ve waited four years for an opportunity and then two wonderful opportunities come along in the space of two weeks.

“For a long time, I’ve been thinking that I’ve got a lot to offer and not had the breakthrough and all of a sudden there are two.

“I was manager of Maldon and a full-time coach at Colchester United.

“I was really looking forward to it but after meeting six perspective signings for Maldon, I got a text from Teddy saying “can you pop in”.

“Teddy Sheringham is an absolute legend and if he comes calling wanting you to be his number two, you’d be a mug not to listen to him.

“He’s someone who could have whoever he wants as his number two.

“The issue was about letting people down, which I don’t like doing.

“The papers weren’t signed but I’d said yes and I didn’t want to let people down.

“In the end, Teddy phoned Robbie (Cowling) to ask him and Robbie was fantastic about it.

“He said it was something I couldn’t turn down, which was a weight off my shoulders.

“Ed Garty’s been great about it too.

“They’d all bought into the vision of where we wanted to go and I was really looking forward to it.

“I was absolutely chuffed to be given the Maldon position as I was the full-time role at Colchester but how could I say “no” to Teddy.

“It was a very, very difficult decision of me being a loyal person but in terms of the opportunity, it was one I couldn’t turn down.”