RUDY FUNK has stepped down as manager of Scarborough Athletic - reportedly over broken promises.

Funk, who began his reign at the Seadogs in 2011 and took them to promotion from the Northern Counties East League, resigned after Monday night's 3-0 Evo-Stik League division one north defeat at Harrogate Railway Athletic.

Boro sit fifth in the table but the former Shirebrook Town, Rainworth and Eastwood boss says his departure has "nothing to do with football".

Funk was quoted on the Non-League Paper website saying: “I’m sure our chairman will release a statement and the only thing I can say is that people make agreements and promises in life.

“I was brought up believing that once you’ve shook hands you honour that. This is absolutely nothing to do with football. Recently I have felt very uncomfortable with certain things and it has affected me.

“Over the three and a half years I’ve been at Scarborough, we’ve had some fantastic sides and fantastic players and I loved them like my own kids.

“The love between myself and the fans was beyond any description. At the moment I just want to remember all the good times we’ve had.”

A club statement said: "Scarborough Athletic can confirm the departure of our long-serving manager Rudy Funk following a hugely popular and successful spell at the helm."

Assistant managers Bryan Hughes and Paul Foot will take charge of the team in the run-up to Saturday's home fixture against play-off rivals Northwich Victoria (3pm).

Boro's defeat on Monday came hot on the heels of their exit from the FA Trophy on Saturday in a 4-0 home defeat to first division north pace-setters Darlington 1883 in front of a crowd of 715.

Darlington took the lead after four minutes through Liam Hatch after excellent work by David Dowson, and they made a similarly good start to the second period, as Stephen Thompson netted a minute after the resumption.

Amar Purewal and fellow substitute Graeme Armstrong, the former Whitby Town goal-getter, completed the victory.

Whitby, meanwhile, also exited the FA Trophy - thanks to a last-minute goal by visitors Ramsbottom United.

The Lancastrians took the lead after 15 minutes through Grant Spencer scored but Whitby levelled after 32 through David McTiernan's superb header following excellent work and a fine cross by Liam Shepherd.

The second half was end to end, but the only goal of the stanza came at the end, from Lee Gaskell. The crowd was 233.

This Saturday, Whitby, who are currently 12th in the Evo-Stik League premier division, host 14th-placed Stamford in the league (3pm).