Steve Castle has resigned as first team manager of Takeley FC, the club confirmed today.

Castle will leave the Essex Senior League club to take up the role at Royston.

He has agreed to stay at Station Road until December 21, which is the last game of this year, away to Sawbridgeworth.

First team coach, Tim Morlette, has agreed to become caretaker manager until the club is able to find a successor.

Takeley chairman Pat Curran said: “On behalf of the management team of Takeley Football Club, we take this opportunity to wish Steve Castle well in his new venture, and to thank him for all of his hard work and commitment, since November 2011.

“Everyone has admired his style of management and he will be sorely missed.”

Castle was an experienced professional footballer who spent 19 years playing at league clubs such as Leyton Orient, Birmingham City and Peterborough, before stepping into management at the end of his playing career.

After spending a few years coaching with Peterborough and West Ham, he was appointed as assistant manager at Cambridge United in 2006 before taking up the position of first team manager at St Albans in 2008. He has been manager of Takeley since 2011.

Takeley are now actively seeking a replacement to take over from Castle with immediate effect. E-mail takeleyfc@mail.com, if you have a Level 2 Coaching, as a minimum (UEFA B preferred) and are interested in applying for his role, by December 28.