LISS Athletic manager Rich Bessey has resigned after talks with Petersfield Town over a groundshare arrangement for next season collapsed.

The club were hoping to play at Petersfield’s Love Lane stadium as their current home at Newman Collard is not suitable for Wessex League football. However, Petersfield announced last week they were unable to go ahead with the groundshare, citing Liss’ delay in confirming their wish to proceed with the deal, and the need to start making their own preparations for next season.

With hopes of winning promotion to the Wessex League over, Bessey told Liss chairman Peter Storrie that he was resigning.

Bessey said: “I thought we had a great chance of finishing in the top two next season and getting promoted.

“For whatever reason Petersfield have decided they don’t want to do the groundshare, but they have been very fair with us. Peter said he hopes that changes nothing and he hopes that I stay.

“I was told last summer if I finished in the top four we might build a new stand and go up. The Newman Collard Trust wouldn’t allow that, and now the groundshare has collapsed.

“We finished fourth and got to a cup final, so we have had a great season. I could have stayed, but I don’t see a solution. The assistant manager and the physio have left with me. A lot of the players came here with me as well, so I don’t know what will happen to them.”