Ashley Taylor has stepped down as manager of Chatteris Town.

Taylor guided the Lilies to promotion to the Cambs League’s top division and a domestic cup treble in his first full season at the helm, but has announced his departure after their 3-2 defeat to Linton Granta on Saturday.

He said: “My intentions were to step down at the end of last season but decided to stay on as the manager that we had sourced backed out at the last minute.

“I worked tremendously hard in pre-season, building a squad that is capable of challenging for promotion but when the season started I was already thinking again about stepping down as I was not enjoying the role.

“With the team being settled I feel now is the right time for me to leave and for someone to bring some fresh ideas to the table.

“My assistant, Sean McKay and captain, Stuart Porter, will take over until a new manager is sourced and I have every faith in them doing well. They know the game, are Chatteris lads and have great enthusiasm.

“I want to thank everyone for all the support I have been given since being manager and I’m sure the club will continue to go in the right direction.”

A club statement said: “We’d like to take this time to thank Ash for all his hard work with the team and club and also look back at everything he achieved with us.

“The 2015/16 season was history making for the club as Ash led the first team to three trophies as well as promotion to the Kershaw Premier Division.”

Taylor took over as boss in the summer of 2015 after leading his local club, Doddington United, to successive Cambs League promotions.

His first season at West Street was one of the most fruitful in the club’s history, with the Lilies lifting the Cambs Challenge Cup, William Cockell Memorial Cup and the William Coade Intermediate Cup, as well as securing promotion.

He resigned as manager at the end of last season and took up the role of director of football, but returned to management after the club failed to find a suitable replacement.

McKay and Porter will take their place in the dugout for Chatteris’ trip to league leaders West Wratting on Saturday (3pm).