SEAN Whelan has resigned as chairman of Evo-Stik Southern Premier promotion chasers AFC Totton – just a month after taking the job.

Whelan, a former shirt sponsor and tannoy announcer at Eastleigh, was officially unveiled as Phil Shephard’s successor at the Testwood Stadium on March 3.

Less than a week later he had to deal with the fall-out surrounding Jim Fallon’s acrimonious with drawal as the Stags’ main sponsor.

Fallon, managing director of Landford-based Beaumont Water Heaters Ltd, was last Wednesday appointed vice-chairman of strug gling Blue Square Bet South outfit Havant & Waterlooville and spoke of his aim to help the Hawks reach the top tier of non-League football in the next three years.

On Sunday Havant parted compa ny with manager Shaun Gale and rumours are already rife that Totton boss Stuart Ritchie is high on Hawks’ wanted list to succeed Gale at Westleigh Park. Whelan yesterday confirmed that one of his final duties at Totton was to report Havant to the Football Association for allegedly “talking to a number of Totton players, officials and club representatives by text”

without making a formal approach to the Stags.

“Stuart and Sean (assistant man ager Sean New) are being heavily linked with the job at Havant and what will happen, I don’t know,” he said.

“But I would like to think Jim (Fallon) will live up to his vice-chair man’s reputation and respect the fact that Stuart and Sean are trying to get Totton promoted.”

Whelan’s last act as Totton chair man was to gain approval from the club’s executive committee to offer ‘get us there’ bonuses to the Stags squad as an added incentive to reach the Conference South.

Although Whelan had originally intended to be part of that promo tion push, he yesterday resigned as chairman, admitting he had bitten off more than he could chew time- wise.

Taking Totton forward, he said, was “a challenge too far” given his extensive work commitments with his Whelan Group pest control business.

Explaining his departure, Whelan said: “I have been working, along with the executive committee, to implement a structure that would lead the football club into the future.

“I can report that, even in the short space of time I have been here, we have achieved the restructuring and, of course, overcome some other major issues that took place when I first walked into the club.

“AFC Totton has a great fan base and is enjoying great times on the pitch with the management of Stuart Ritchie and Sean New.

“It is, however, regrettable that I must announce my resignation as chairman, mainly down to business commitments.

“For the good of the club I am resigning with immediate effect. I would like to wish all the supporters the very best for the future and, of course, I will be hoping Totton reach promotion to the Blue Square South.”