WINCHESTER City are in the hunt for a new manager after "frustration" prompted Paul Masters to step down earlier today..

Having led the Citizens to the Southern One South & West play-off semi-finals last season, ex-Saint Masters was ambitious to push on to the next level.

But City’s tight budget meant he was unable to boost the playing and coaching staff as he would have liked.

“I’m competitive and I want my team to be. I needed back-up in certain areas to make it better,” he explained.

“It’s not a criticism of the club, I’ve had two absolutely fantastic years there and had a group of players who massively overachieved last season.

“But you can’t stand still. With the time you put into management, you need to be moving things on, but the budget didn't allow it.

“The job became frustrating from February onwards. I honestly thought that if we’d brought in one or two players or kept those we had, we’d have won the league.

“But everyone’s cost-cutting in life in general and non-League has suffered more than most - and why should people put money in?

“I’ve taken the club as far as I can with the infrastructure that’s there at the moment.”

Director of football Dave Malone said: “We work on a tight budget and can’t increase it.

"I understand Paul’s frustrations and share a lot of them, but Paul Murray (chairman) and I can’t commit money we haven’t got.

“I’ve enjoyed working with Paul (Masters), he’s done a really good job, but we couldn't agree a way forward.

"He probably thinks he can't cap what we did last season. We got a lot out of our players for the money we spent."

Malone already has the feelers out for a replacement with just over a week to go before the big S&W kick-off at Slimbridge on August 6.