George Borg, who resigned as Aldershot Town manager late last week, cannot be said to have failed.
A league championship and promotion in his first season and plenty of money-spinning cup success during his time at the Rec will make him a hard act to follow, even if was unable to steer Aldershot into the Conference.
Once Aldershot were in the Premier Division of the Ryman League, the championship, and the only promotion place available, became a number one priority for the former Football League club.
After three attempts and one narrow failure – they were runners-up in 1999-2000 – Aldershot's challenge again began to falter and the fans started to run out of patience, some venting their frustration upon the manager.
But it was not the vociferous, abusive minority that forced Borg out, as has been claimed in some quarters. The East Londoner is too tough a bird to crumble under that sort of pressure.
Borg, 43, resigned because he had lost the support of the directors.
I understand that the board voted 6-1 to end his reign at a meeting in early January and the resignation was only delayed while a financial settlement was negotiated with Borg who still had two and a half years to run on his contract.
Despite talk of an amicable separation on both sides, Borg and Karl Prentice had not been seeing eye-to-eye for some time and, last month, after the manager had sounded off in the press, the chairman gave him written instructions not to talk to the media.
Asked about the 'amicable' separation this week, Prentice said enigmatically: "It was amicable in that we shook hands."
Chairman and manager, no doubt, had respect for each other, but Borg's relationship with the board was always likely to be of the love-hate variety.
Things deteriorated midway through the season when Borg publicly called for a statement of support from Prentice and the board after fans had started to demand his sacking. He didn't get it.
Much as they relished the success he brought them on the field over four years, the directors were probably embarrassed by Borg's colourful language (the dug-out is situated immediately below the directors' box), his berating of officials and occasional verbal sparring with the opposition bench.
Borg's tendency to wear his heart on his sleeve was his weakness and probably proved to be his downfall.
Unable to supress his emotions, he often brushed with authority. He was also not averse to publicly criticising his own players and there is little doubt that he lost support from the previously loyal East Bank fans when he placed popular defender Jason Chewins on the transfer-list, even though he later said it had been a tactical ploy to get the best out of the player.
Some players could not work with Borg, but many responded positively to his fiery disposition, laced with a lively sense of humour, and were intensely loyal.
Chewins, for instance, blossomed under Borg's guidance and is now the club's longest-serving player.
Borg was appointed manager in September, 1997, when Terry Owens was chairman. He came as one of the most respected non-League managers, having led Enfield to the Premier Division title and the third round of the FA Cup. He had also lifted a championship trophy with Chesham and won two cup finals while at Harrow Borough.
An excellent coach and master tactician, he took Aldershot to the Division One title in his first season and set about building a squad capable of winning the championship.
Aldershot consolidated in their first season in the Premier, finishing eighth, but they sent ripples through non-League football by winning the Ryman League Cup and Hampshire Senior Cup in the space of two days.
The following season, Aldershot finished second in the table, reached the second round of the FA Cup (losing to Exeter) and beat Andover 9-1 in the Hampshire Senior Cup.
Aldershot, it seemed, were ready to take the final step. The teams played attacking football and Borg, never afraid to change formation or make multiple substitutions in mid-match, was adept at turning likely defeats into exciting wins.
But it never happened for them in the 2000-2001 season. They featured on Match of the Day when Brighton visited the Rec in the FA Cup, but their title challenge collapsed after Christmas and, just to rub it in, it was bitter rivals Farnborough who won through to the Conference.
This season, Borg again made the club money by taking Aldershot to the FA Cup first round proper for a third successive year and they only lost by a single goal to Bristol Rovers in a replay.
But Gravesend and Canvey Island have pulled well clear in the league. Fans were getting on Borg's back and his working relationship with the board was breaking down. The end was in sight.
Borg's record on the transfer market was erratic. With his favoured two-year contract, he recruited heavily from London clubs and seldom spent money, although he splashed out heavily on Leon Gutzmore (£12,000) and Grant Payne (£20,000). Gutzmore's move was a disaster and Payne, though a classy striker, has struggled to shake off the effects of a serious injury.
Record goal-scorer Gary Abbott was a brilliant signing, but too many players were brought to the Rec billed as the new great hope, only to be discarded within a few months.
One disaffected player, Mark Pye, viciously assaulted Borg earlier this season – an incident that brought the manager a wave of sympathy at the Rec. That was just four months ago.
Borg was popular with the club's office and ground staff and I can record that he was always approachable and friendly with the press. Win or lose, he was always good for a pithy quote.
And he went out on a defiant note, saying: "I still think our squad has a chance of winning it.
"Who ever takes over, if they keep that squad and perhaps bring in three new players, I will be disappointed if they don't win the league next season."