CHAIRMAN Ken Stewart insists Steve Cuss’s acquisition of a controlling interest in Wimborne Town has not made him unsackable as the club’s manager.

Former Magpies chairman Paul Miller has handed Cuss his 29.93 per cent share in Parmiter Holdings, the parent company which owns 77 per cent of Wimborne Town Football Club Limited.

Cuss also replaced Miller as the sole director of Parmiter Holdings on July 1, a switch that was published on the Companies House website on Thursday.

Under normal circumstances, anything more than a 75 per cent share gives an individual or group the power of veto on decisions taken by a company, subject to its constitution.

Cuss’s control appears to be further strengthened by his stake in Parmiter Holdings with no combination of shareholders possessing enough to force a change of directorship.

It is a controversial twist to Wimborne’s on-field woes.

Saturday’s 3-2 home defeat to Marlow left the Cuthbury outfit with seven points from 10 games, out of both FA competitions with only goal difference keeping them out of the Southern South & West relegation zone.

Quizzed on Cuss's level of control, Stewart told the Daily Echo: “It is true that in the past few weeks, Paul Miller has signed over his shares to Steve as a gift.

“He is one of the major shareholders so could hold back but knowing Steve, he is an honest sort who would always do the right thing for the football club.

“I know the obvious point people will make is ‘he can’t get sacked’, of course, but Steve knows as well as I do how things are and will be the first to admit it. If he feels it is time for him to go he will be the first to tell us.

“We have never sacked a manager for poor results unless we are near the bottom but it is early days and we’re not going to press any panic buttons yet.

“We are fully behind Steve and that is not like the old cliché of a chairman backing a manager before sacking him to following week. Steve will take on board the views of the other directors and what they say.

“We haven’t spoken about the poor results. He knows we are disappointed, not least at being dumped out of the FA Cup by lower-league opposition.

“You look at our players and all of them are skilful individually, we are just not playing as a team but we will get there.

“We are all together and take decisions collectively. This does not affect the running of the club. Decisions are not taken by one person but by the board and that always will be the case."

Cuss was unavailable for comment.