Ricci Butler ended his reign as Gorleston manager with a point at the weekend.

Butler, who joined the Green in May, 2015, has resigned for personal reasons, saying he wants to spend more time with his family.

In a statement on the club’s website, chairman Alan Gordon admitted he tried to persuade Butler to change his mind.

“Ricci has been promoted at work and with the position comes extra responsibility and longer hours,” said Gordon. “He also has been missing his beautiful daughter growing up and wants to spend more time with Scarlett during her young years and, with him and Francine expecting a child of their own in the coming months, Ricci felt he could not commit the time and effort he felt was necessary at the club he loves.

“I did try several times to talk him out of it but he had obviously thought long and hard before making his decision and remained steadfast (a quality I have always admired of his). He has done this for the good of the club long term and I can only respect that.

“I was impressed with Ricci in his last managerial position and although a young manager I felt, with his love of Gorleston Football Club and how we wanted to progress, he was ideal for the position which proved to be correct with Ricci taking us last season on a magical unbeaten run in the league finishing a lofty fourth on our tightest budget in some years.

“Ricci was never afraid to give youth a chance, with several of our under-18s having progressed through to make their debuts in the first team.”

Gordon said the club would be advertising the position “in the very near future”.

On the pitch, a late equaliser denied Butler all three points in his final game. Peter Lambert and Luke Goreham scored in the first half as the teams went in level, and while Connor Ingram put the Greens 3-2 up on 62 minutes, Ely’s Sam Reed scored in time added on.

Bottom side Fakenham went down 2-0 at home to Haverhill Borough while in the First Division, King’s Lynn Town Reserves moved up to second with a 3-0 win at Cornard United, while Downham Town lost 1-0 at home to Leiston.