Andy Hessenthaler admitted he was leaving Dover Athletic with a "heavy heart".

Hessenthaler (pictured) spent three years as boss at Crabble, taking them to two league titles and a Blue Square South runners-up spot, but the lure of the Football League proved too much.

He said: "I’m leaving with a very heavy heart. I’m not exaggerating when I say that I’ve not had much sleep these past few days. I’ve had to put a lot of thought into this decision because my time at Dover Athletic has been amazing.

"From the day I walked in, I’ve had a great relationship with the chairman, the board and all the fans, who have been first class to me.

"Together we’ve achieved so much – and the five-year plan of getting this club back into the Blue Square Premier has not finished because I’m leaving.

"I hope fans understand that I’ve always been clear that if I had the chance to take a job in the Football League, I’d like the opportunity to go for it.

"I’m sure a lot of people have sometime in their lives had the chance to land a job promotion. This move is what I see it as – a job promotion."

Hessenthaler has been heavily linked with a return to Gillingham, who are seeking a replacement for departed manager Mark Stimson.

Dover chairman Jim Parmenter is wasting no time in looking for a successor.

He said: "I’ve already had CVs sent to me and taken a couple of calls. We’ll be looking to get an experienced top manager in place very quickly."