The Courier can reveal that Matt Beaston has left the helm at Carngham-Linton and will not coach out the rest of the season.

Saints football director Greg Spratling said Beaston had informed the committee in recent times that he wouldn't coach on in 2020, but had only this week made the call that he would step down immediately.

Spratling said Beaston contacted the club on Monday to express his desire to move aside ahead of this weekend's round eight matches.

"Obviously he has realised now is probably the best time to move away. Just simply for the benefit of the club, so that it gives us plenty of time to find a replacement," Spratling said.

"He's a well respected person out there, he's put his heart and soul into it. I've probably never come across a more passionate person.

"He's had the club at heart and just wanted to give us plenty of time to move forward."

Reserves coach Tom Sarah looks set to take over Beaston's role for the remainder of the 2019 campaign.

Beaston answered the club's desperate plea for a coach late in 2016 when he arrived to take on the senior job.

Since then it has been a hard road for the former Saints player, who has won just four games across the past two-and-a-half seasons.

In 2017, Carngham-Linton claimed three victories to finish 15^th on the ladder and managed only one throughout 2018 and collected the wooden spoon. So far in 2019 it has been a winless journey for the senior side, which lost to Learmonth last Saturday.

Beaston's time in charge of the Saints also saw him serve as an assistant coach with the Central Highlands Football League. He worked under head coach Clive Raak as an opposition analyst for the 2018 AFL Victoria Community Championships clash with Riddell District.

Before heading back to Carngham-Linton, Beaston had been an assistant coach at Maryborough Rovers in 2015 and Royal Park in 2016.

The Saints have a battle with Daylesford this Saturday before the Queen's birthday long weekend break.