STEVE King went through every emotion possible as manager of Northwich Victoria.

The now former Vics boss told the Guardian he felt he had no choice but to leave the job after just 109 days in charge.

“I’m gutted,” he said today, Saturday.

“I didn’t want my time here to come to and end like this but I believe resigning is the correct thing to do right now.”

King leaves the Marston’s Arena less than a week after scoring his first victory – a 2-1 success at promotion hopefuls Kidderminster last Sunday.

But Vics lost 10 of the 14 matches when he picked the team.

A midweek humbling at fellow strugglers Forest Green was the final straw for the former Lewes manager.

“I’m bitterly disappointed,” he said.

“A number of things have happened here over the past few weeks that have made it virtually impossible to carry on.

“I will never go public on what they were because I want to keep my dignity and I also respect the difficult time the club is going through both on and off the pitch right now.

“The players have given absolutely everything they have through that period, but things off the pitch have made their job so much harder.”

Assistant manager Justin Skinner has followed King through the exit following a meeting with owner Jim Rushe this morning.

The pair took after Dino Maamria was fired in November following a month-long suspension.

Since then they have signed 11 players – four of those on loan – in a bid to arrest Vics’ slide towards Blue Square North.

There have been obstacles in his path every step of the way.

The players are owed more than two months’ pay, while the club only returned to their home ground yesterday, Friday, after being locked out for more than four weeks by former landlord Mike Connett.

As a result they have played six successive away days.

Their last game in front of their own supporters was a Boxing Day defeat against bitter rivals Altrincham almost two months ago.

A transfer embargo in December also prevented King bringing in the players he felt could kickstart Vics’ campaign.

That signings ban was lifted just days before the end of the January transfer window, meaning he missed out on most of his original targets.

“It’s been unbelievable here since the day I arrived,” he said.

“I’ve been through every emotion you can think of and take away some incredible memories even though my stay was only a brief one.

“I’ll never forget that night at Wrexham; the fans, the atmosphere and the way the boys gave everything to cause an upset was very, very special.

“It was a match that had everything and I was proud to be a part of it.”

King closed by praising those supporters who had stuck by him through a difficult three months.

He picked up letters of support from the club shop yesterday before talking to fans at the ground later the same afternoon.

“The majority of fans have been fantastic to me,” he said.

“I spoke to a number of them at the stadium who had met Jim [Rushe] to help him get things moving and they said they were behind what I was trying to achieve here.

“That meant a lot to me.

“I’m sad for them and thank them for their support since I came up here – their loyalty to the club and what they have been prepared to do over the past couple of months is very humbling.

“They are true football fans who love their club.”