RONNIE Moore has stunned Eastleigh by leaving after just three months in charge.

The 63 year-old departed because of 'personal circumstances' the day after the 2-1 defeat at Maidstone - and just four days before Sunday's FA Cup second round tie against FC Halifax.

An Eastleigh FC statement said: “The club would like to announce that due to personal circumstances over the past few weeks the club have agreed to terminate Ronnie Moore’s contract with immediate affect [sic].”

He has already been linked with a return to Rotherham United, the club he led to back-to-back promotions to the Championship - and where Kenny Jackett quit as manager three days ago.

Moore, who had spells as Rotherham boss from 1997-2005 and 2009-11, has been commuting to Eastleigh from south Yorkshire.

Tonight he was 5/6 on with the bookies to return to Rotherham, having been 18/1 before his Eastleigh exit.

He was in charge of Eastleigh for just 21 games, winning ten and drawing seven.

Moore replaced the sacked Chris Todd after the Spitfires suffered back-to-back defeats, against Tranmere and Dover, in August.

He began with a 2-0 win against Solihull Moors and a nine-match unbeaten run but Eastleigh have lost four of their last nine National League games.

They are targeting the top five but are eight points off fifth-placed Dover after last night’s 2-1 loss at struggling Maidstone.

That followed Saturday’s 3-0 debacle at home to Chester and is the first time Eastleigh have lost two on the bounce since Todd was sacked.

Moore’s departure means Eastleigh are looking for their fifth manager in the five years since chairman Stewart Donald's involvement began.

Donald has a five-year plan to turn Eastleigh into a Football League club but it is unclear who will be in temporary charge when FC Halifax visit on Sunday.