CANTON — There were many questions when Canton High School parted ways with football coach Anthony Fallon midway through the fall season. The Bulldogs were 4-0 and the only explanation was that Fallon was dismissed as he dealt with a personal matter.

On Monday, the coach took to social media with a string of posts explaining his departure, expounding on a situation with many layers. He said he had been dealing with a legal incident which took place on Sept. 30. Fallon was charged with assault and battery on a person 65 years or older, but was recently found not guilty of any wrongdoing in the matter.

But Fallon will not be coaching at Canton in his next chapter, as the school has decided not to bring back his services following the saga.

Fallon spoke with the Herald on Tuesday, telling his side of the story.

“My neighbor came over to my house,” said Fallon. “We’ve had a long-standing property line dispute. He threatened me, and came at me. I put my hand out to stop him, and I went back into my house.”

However, things did not end there.

“He went and called the police, then fabricated that I had assaulted him,” Fallon said. “So, they arrested me. On my own front steps. I begged the police at the time, I said, ‘Guys, I’m not the aggressor here. I’m on my own property here, doing nothing. Watching the Red Sox-Yankees game.’ ”

The moment kickstarted a long chain of events for Fallon and his family.

Fallon is a Canton High School graduate (1988) and spent 13 seasons with the Bulldogs. This included multiple stints as an assistant starting in 1994. He’d been the head coach since 2020.

When the incident occurred, Canton was in the midst of one of its best starts in recent years. Fallon was named the New England Patriots High School Football Coach of the Week on Sept. 9 after a 34-0 win against Franklin. It was the Bulldogs’ first win over their Hockomock League rival since 1990. It was a shocking blow to a program on the rise when the coach had to exit.

“It was difficult at the beginning,” Fallon said. “This was a team I had built. I designed them to have this confidence. We practiced a certain way because of the schedule that we had. So, it was difficult. I understood there was a charge, but (Canton High School) put me on administrative leave, and I just had to sit out. That was very difficult.”

Fallon then began the long process of navigating the legal system. While sidelined, the coach set up a gathering with administrators at the school in October, looking to get back on the field. Instead, he received a letter that his time with the Bulldogs was effectively finished.

“Nothing came about it,” Fallon said. “What happened was, they put me on administrative leave, which I could understand. There was a charge, even though I was innocent. But they didn’t stop there. They fired me, and didn’t even give me a reason. They just said, ‘We’re not putting you on paid administrative leave, we’re going to terminate you.’ That was what the letter said: ‘You are terminated, you are no longer the head football coach at Canton High School.’ ”

Canton athletic director Danny Erickson released a statement to the Herald and said all coaches are evaluated on a “regular basis” and are only officially appointed for one year at a time.

“We are aware of the statement posted on social media by the former football coach but, as this is a personnel matter, we are not at liberty to discuss the details around our decision to hire a new coach,” Erickson’s statement read. “It is important to note that appointments for coaches are always just one year in duration, which provides the opportunity for the school to evaluate every position on a regular basis. Our decisions concerning coaching positions are always made with great consideration, particularly for how it impacts the student athlete experience. We are moving and we are excited to continue the process of hiring our next head coach.”

Canton principal Jeff Sperling also commented on the situation in a statement, noting the district doesn’t make decisions “in isolation or in a vacuum” and that “personnel matters are confidential.”

“We certainly respect the sentiments of our community members regarding matters
pertaining to our school and students. That said, personnel matters are confidential. We can assure you that no decisions are made in isolation or in a vacuum, and each situation has variables and complexities that are considered and mitigated,” he said in a statement.

Sperling echoed Erickson’s excitement about hiring a new football coach and that all decisions are made with the goal to “uphold the highest standards for students of Canton High School.”

Under interim coaches Jeff Eckler and Marty Sasin, Canton finished the regular season 6-2, then made a run to the Div. 4 semifinals before bowing to eventual Super Bowl finalist Tewksbury on Nov. 21. A few weeks later, on Dec. 12, Fallon was found not guilty on the charge.

With a chapter coming to a close at Canton, Fallon is searching for his next coaching opportunity.

“No one understands what happened,” said Fallon. “The only thing the administration says is, ‘We’re trying to make decisions that are best for the students.’ But the students want me to coach. I want to coach. So, we’re baffled. I mean, I’ve coached in other places. I will coach again, but that’s my hometown. That’s where I grew up. That’s where I learned how to play football. That’s where my first love of football was.”