FA VASE final coach Paul Masters has quit AFC Totton to become manager of his old club Hamble ASSC.

After a sparkling year at Testwood Park, crowned with a memorable Wembley appearance, the former Saints reserves midfielder has sacrificed the Wessex high life to breathe new life into struggling Hamble, who finished bottom of the Sydenhams Premier with just 18 points.

Rumours had abounded for months that Locks Heath, frustrated by their inability to progress from the Sydenhams Division 1 for ground grading reasons, were ready to move en masse to Follands Park.

The Planemakers have confirmed that they did consider former Locks chairman David Mundy as a possible replacement for Pete Mence, who has stood down as Hamble chairman, but they were put off by his insistence that he brought his own manager (Matt Parr) with him.

"The chairman and the manager came as a package and the committee felt they didn't want to go down that road," said Hamble secretary Matt Newbold.

Given Totton's recent headline-making exploits and their ambition to go all out for promotion to the Southern League next term, Masters's decision to join bottom-of-the-table Hamble will send shockwaves around local non-League.

Full story: See today's Daily Echo.