Sam Denly has announced his resignation as Herne Bay manager.

The 33-year-old will leave the club after Saturday's game at Whyteleafe, having emailed the committee on Wednesday morning to inform them of his decision.

Bay will finish 17th in Ryman League Division 1 South this season - their lowest finish since Denly's first season in charge, 2013/14.

Denly said: "I've reached the end and I've told the club that as well.

"We spoke on Saturday and I spoke to them this morning.

"It's not a decision I wanted to make because I feel I've almost got unfinished business there in terms of competing but with the way things are, the power's been taken away from me with regards to signing players.

"I'm having to turn players down, I'm losing my brother-in-law and things like that because, unfortunately, we're at a level where it involves resource and at the moment we're competing well below the means of that.

"I've probably taken the club as far as I can with what's available, which means it's time for me to stand down."

Denly succeeded Simon Halsey in May 2013 and after keeping Bay in the division in his first season in charge, led them to top-half finishes in each of the next two campaigns.

However, budget cuts this term have left him frustrated and Bay head into the final weekend 30 points adrift of the play-offs, although comfortably safe from relegation.

Denly said: "When I got the job four years ago, there were a lot of question marks raised because I had no experience, which was fair enough but the club gave me that opportunity.

"They saw it as a little bit of a gamble but we've had a fantastic four years.

"I'm thankful for them giving me that opportunity in management. It's one I'm never going to forget so it's certainly been a hard decision for me.

"If things were different and we had resource to compete, there's absolutely no question that I could deliver a top-five finish. But I know, with what's happened this year and what's going to happen next year, it's going to be very difficult. I don't think anything's going to change.

"The team have done fantastically well this year but I feel the time is right to stand down."

More on this story in Thursday's Herne Bay Gazette.