PAUL Tanner resigned last week after eight years as Farnham Town manager.

He was the longest-serving Farnham manager in one spell and it was believed to be the longest term in Combined Counties League history.

Assistant manager Paul Bonner and coach Andy Sharratt will run the side until the end of the season.

The club issued the following statement: It is with huge regret that we have reluctantly accepted the resignation of Farnham Town manager Paul Tanner. We would like to thank him for all his hard work over the past eight seasons and wish him well for the future.

Tanner himself tweeted: “Anyone who knows me will know how hard this decision has been for me. I would like to thank all the players who have played under me for all the hard work and effort they have put into games and training. I also thank all the staff and coaches who have worked with me to make every week and game work.

“I will still be involved in a very minor way with activities at the club.”

Farnham were marooned in the Combined Counties Division One when Tanner took charge and his pugnacious, positive style and good contacts in local football galvanized the club.

He took Town back to the Premier Division in that same 2010-11 season and the side have held that status comfortably until this season when, despite having a strong line-up on paper, Farnham lie second from bottom and are in a desperate fight to avoid the drop.

The best all-round season of Tanner’s tenure was in 2015-16 when Farnham finished tenth in the Premier Division and lifted a major trophy, the Premier Challenge Cup, by beating highly-fancied Camberley 3-1 in the final. A week later, Farnham were in another final, but this time Camberley took their revenge, winning the Aldershot Senior Cup final 2-1.