MARK Morsley has expanded on the reasons behind his sudden departure from Leiston.

Morsley left the Ryman League Premier Division club last Friday, citing ‘new challenges’ for his sudden departure.

After a disappointing start to their first season in the Ryman Premier, Leiston had been on an unbeaten run of ten matches and gone from the foot of the table to 14th prior to Morsley quitting last Friday.

He said: “There have been a lot said about my leaving Leiston when we are having such a successful season, looking comfortable in mid-table and in the Suffolk Premier Cup semi-final.

“I can understand that people are disappointed but it was the right thing to do. I told the chairman, Andy Crisp, last Thursday that I was going to be leaving at the end of the season and did suggest that it may have been best for me to go right away. On reflection overnight I felt that my staying was unfair for the football club.

“I believe I can be proud of what my staff and myself have achieved there and I hope they take that success on and become an established Ryman Premier Division team; that was my target when I accepted the position and that should now be theirs.

“The playing squad there is made up of players who have been brought in by me or who agreed to stay at the club when I was appointed in 2010; they are the best group of players I have worked with.

“Of these players some of them are out-of-contract at the end of this season. How could the club therefore have had discussions with these lads regarding new deals if there was an uncertainty about who the manager was?

“Andy has been very loyal to me and I believe would have been happy for me to stay, however I believe that when the dust settles he will look back and realise that my decision was the best for Leiston FC.

“I believe I can be proud of what my staff and myself have achieved there and I hope they take that success on and become an established Ryman Premier Division team; that was my target when I accepted the position and that should now be theirs.”