BLANDFORD United manager Jamie Haylock has left the Royals for “personal reasons”.

Haylock leaves the Dorset Premier League side in rude health after three years at the helm.

Blandford are in seventh and could rise to third in the current table should they win two games in hand.

Haylock’s introduction to the club transformed the Royals’ fortunes from a side languishing at the bottom of the table, to one challenging at the top.

Explaining his exit to Echosport, he said: “They’ve got a path to carry on with if they want to.

“It’s basically personal reasons outside of football.”

Key in Haylock’s tenure has been the willingness to promote youth into the first team.

Reflecting on his time at Park Road, Haylock felt his stint was “one big good memory”.

He said: “It’s hard to say the best memories – we’re just playing some nice football and enjoying it.

“There wasn’t any particular memory. Just being a local guy, local player I just hope they carry on doing what they’re doing. It’s just been one big good memory.

“When we first took over we were joint-bottom of the league with 25 people watching.

“By the end, we’re a team pushing for top four and having, some weeks, crowds of 150.

“Off the pitch, everyone believed in what I was trying to do and they’ve all got on board. All I did was the basics, and it went well.”

He added: “You get managers that turn up to games an hour before kick-off and leave 20 minutes after the game – that’s them done.

“I’m talking to the reserve team manager, third team manager and I have two training sessions a week. It’s literally a part-time job.

“I’m up at the Rec at nine o’clock Saturday mornings and I don’t leave until half seven, cleaning the changing rooms, making sure everything is bang on.

“I won’t be managing again any time soon. I’ll be looking forward to some fan time and going to watch them.

“I’ll watch Weymouth as a fan and Wimborne. I’ll go round all the clubs and do what I want do to.”