CAIN Liddle said the decision to part ways with Brendon Bolton was one which wasn’t taken lightly.

And the CEO of the Carlton Football Club was quick to pay testament to the loyalty of the Blues’ supporter base.

Speaking to media at Ikon Park, Liddle said the decision was as a “cumulation” of recent form.

However, he said the Club remained in a strong position off the field.

“It’s an absolute credit to the football club that we’ve been able to put ourselves in a really strong position,” Liddle said.

“It’d be remiss of me not to mention our members and supporters… our supporters have been unbelievable through the process.

“On the back of two wins last year and a really challenging year, we’re up almost 7,000 members year-on-year — we were the first club this year to break our membership record.”

Liddle said he was disappointed for Bolton, saying the outgoing coach is “someone [he] cares about”.

After reflecting on Bolton’s tenure, Liddle said the Club would move forward on the back of the work undertaken in the last three-and-a-half years.

“No doubt it’s a sad day. It’s a sad day in one respect, but tomorrow we move forward,” Liddle said.

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“Let’s make it very clear: we have had a plan, we’ve gone to four drafts and we’ve brought some elite young talent into this group.

“I feel like the landscape for an incoming coach is quite different this time around. The expectations are going to be higher, quicker.”

Pointing to the appointments of Brad Lloyd and Andrew Russell among others, Liddle said the Club would continue to make decisions in the best interests of Carlton’s long-term success.

“We’ve been working really hard on a long-term plan to build on a strategy we came up with three years ago,” he said.

“Not deviating from a plan doesn’t mean not changing resources, though.

“Organisationally, you’re constantly trying to manoeuvre things and make changes to get the result you’re after.”