Mick Sullivan's exit from Leatherhead may have been the result of player power more than poor results.

The Tanners boss was sacked on Tuesday with the club bottom of the Ryman Premier League with just one point from their opening seven games - though they did beat North Leigh 5-1 on Saturday in the first qualifying round of the FA Cup.

It is a far cry from four months ago when Sullivan was the toast of the town having led them to promotion, via the play-offs, to the Premier League for the first time in 28 years.

But chairman Peter Ashdown has revealed all was not good behind the scenes and that the players that convinced Sullivan to return to the club last March when he walked out, were partly behind his demise.

"Things were not good between the players and the management - that was a factor not just results," he said.

"It was the players as much as anyone that got Mick back when he walked out but clearly, and I cannot put my finger on it, something has obviously happened between then and now.

"It is always a combination of things when these unfortunate events happen and it is with a heavy heart we had to make this decision but it has not been working out terribly well.

"There were a series of factors which led to it but it is a huge shame and the board met with Mick on a number of occasions to discuss various things and things were not getting better behind the scenes.

"Of course, it is a shame.

"One could not imagine we would have been having this conversation after the excitement of last season and what we hoped would be the excitement of this season.

"Clearly in pre-season you could see something was going wrong and everybody hoped they would improve once the season started.

"It's not easy to pinpoint the reason it got to this but the FA Cup result proves this decision was not down to results.

"This was a decision the board felt it had to make irrespective of the result on the Saturday."

Gary Drewett, Tommy Hutchings, Danny Gainsford, Josh Gallagher and Greg Andrews scored the goals on Saturday that booked the Tanners a second qualifying round tie at Biggleswade Town.

Captain Mark Simmons has taken temporary charge of team affairs for this Saturday's match at home to Canvey Island with Ashdown hopeful of naming a replacement for Sullivan next week.

"The world and his wife have applied so far," he said.

"It is amazing how quickly the word gets around.

"We would like to do it as soon as possible but I would be surprised if we have anyone in by Tuesday."