WINCHESTER City are in the hunt for a new manager with less than a month to go before their Southern League Division 1 baptism at Hanwell Town.

Having steered the club to the Sydenhams Wessex championship last season, Steve Tate has dropped the bombshell news that he is standing down for family and financial reasons.

His wife Anita has got a job as a sales executive for Southampton-based radio station, so he needs to spend more time at their Bournemouth home looking after their two children.

Tate took over at City, initially on a caretaker basis, in October last year, and was briefed by former director of football David Malone to bring home the league title and promotion.

The former Waterlooville, Havant and Weymouth striker delivered spectacularly, leading the club on an amazing unbeaten league sequence of 25 wins and three draws from 28 games which left runners-up Thatcham trailing 13 points in their wake.

After two trophy-laden decades in non-League, Tate, pictured, is choked to be giving up the game he loves. He said: "It's my deepest, saddest regret that I'm leaving football.

"But the bills at home weren't adding up and, as every human being knows, that puts stresses and strains on family life.

"My wife's spent time at home looking after the children and now she's going to be earning more than me.

"I'll need to be around to pick the kids up from school, so there's no way I can give 100 per cent commitment to Winchester City."

Tate's wish is that City will choose head coach Keith Williams, his trusty right-hand man, as his replacement.

Williams played professionally for AFC Bournemouth and Northampton and was a youth team coach at Dean Court when Tate was there as a youngster.

He has since managed Bournemouth Poppies, Ringwood Town and Bournemouth Sports.