SOUTHAMPTON RFC captain Tony Cador has sensationally quit the club a quarter of the way through his fourth year in charge.

Cador has given personal reasons for his decision to leavebut there are believed to be many underlying political reasons for his quitting the London Division Four South-West club.

It is understood that the county back-row man has had disagreements with chairman Niall Casey and the pair did not see eye-to-eye on various issues on club matters - and one such is thought to have caused Cador's departure.

An upset Cador felt he had given Southampton the best years of his career.

"It is in the best interests of myself to leave the club now," he said. "I love my rugby and have done everything I can for Southampton to the best of my ability.

"But, because of the politics at the club, it is a great shame that I feel I have to leave.

"I have had some lovely highs and some difficult lows there but at the precise moment, a change is as good as a rest."

A disappointed man was club secretary Carl Wilmore, a good friend of Cador's, but he admitted it was not the first time that he had walked out of the club.

"The club has to be bigger than the individuals," he said.

"It is obviously a serious enough disagreement with a member of the committee for him to resign for.

"But Tony is a volatile character and he has walked out before over something similar to this before, only to come back.

"However, I don't believe he will this time."

Wilmore confirmed that the issue was between the chairman and Cador.

"Niall is the chairman and he is attempting to create an environment for a good rugby club and he has a personality which is driven towards the business side of that. It is a delicate situation.

"He has business aspirations for the club and wants to take the club forward and I must support him in that.

"It was a clash in personalities and Tony has left because of that.

"I would do anything I can to get Tony back here."

Prop Marcus Coffin, who took over the reigns for the match against Old Reigatian on Saturday, was shocked by Cador's sudden resignation.

"It has come as a surprise and he will be missed greatly," he said. "But we must get on with it - Tony is just one member of the team."

The same view came from coach Dave Charles, who did not want to get involved with the political side.

"As long as Tony didn't have an axe to grind with me, then that is fine," he said.

"He will be missed as I will not have someone to bounce ideas off at training and he is a good player in our set-up, but if he has decided to leave then so be it."

Cador, who could now be heading to play for Winchester, added: "Ten years of playing for the club and I have enjoyed it. I have not asked for any special treatment and I always wanted to play for Southampton in that time.

"The club knew what my capabilities are but the underlying factors have left my position difficult so I have left."