CHATHAM Town's player-manager Steve Hearn has quit after admitting he wasn’t enjoying the job anymore.

The 35-year-old guided the club to promotion into the Dr Martens, Eastern Division last season but after a disappointing run of results at the end of this year he feels he has taken the club as far as he can.

Hearn said: “I had a chat with the players a few days ago about the coming season and it just didn’t seem right. I felt it's time to step down. My heart isn’t in it. After Christmas it has been a frustrating time with no funds available for players and I expect that that will be the case next season."

He stressed: “For three and a half years it has been really good. We have progressed but I've taken the club as far as I possibly can.

“The last few months have been really tough and it has been very depressing.”

Hearn says he would consider returning to management in the future but insists he would like to continue playing for at least one more season.

He added: "I'm 35 and I believe I could play another season in the Kent League. As far as management is concerned, I don't want to go into that again, at least for the time being.

“I would like to thank the committee for giving me plenty of support during my time at the club.”

Chatham chairman Frank Skinner said: “We are enormously grateful to him for getting us into this division and keeping us here. He has been a great servant.”