ST ALBANS CITY FC's controversial chairman, Lee Harding, has quit the club after almost four years in charge.

Harding made the decision to stand down after a board meeting on Tuesday evening, expressing the belief that he felt it was in everyone's best interest to quit and offer his share-holding in the club for sale.

He said: "The past six months or so have been tough for the Club with falling gates, but, with the help of my fellow directors, we proposed a final solution to the debt burden we having been wrestling with for years.

"We offered the club's creditors a new arrangement where some £45,000 would be introduced to satisfy our creditors and this was unanimously accepted by them,"

"I understood that recent events have made me unpopular with a section of our supporters and they were concerned for the future of the club.

"With our proposals to clear all debts agreed, the board of directors offered to transfer the day to day running of the club to an elected management committee of supporters.

"However, the unanimous decision by supporters to reject these proposals while I personally retain the majority share-holding left me with few options.

"I believe that for the club to make progress it has to be united and the club's future is more important than my wish to remain as majority share-holder."

Harding has enjoyed both highs and lows during his time at Clarence Park and the flamboyant former chairman is keen for the fans to remember some of the more memorable moments during his troubled reign.

He said: "I am certain that I relinquish control of the club with it in a far healthier position than I inherited. When I took over, our facilities prevented any possibility of promotion, but we have improved the fencing, terracing, seating, and lights to obtain that coveted conference grading.

"We were within 16 minutes of Wembley two years ago and have had a couple of concerted attempts at winning the league.

"We're sitting comfortably in the top half of the table and I hope that everyone can now get behind managers Gary, Steve and the team to consolidate the progress of recent years and push the club onto bigger and better things.

"I am proud of the progress the club has made and if I can offer any help or advice to my successors I would be delighted to do so. I will remain a supporter of the club and wish everybody well for the future.

November 8, 2001 18:00