Raith Rovers chairman Dave Somerville has decided to take an extended sabbatical from the club over the summer.
He broke the news at a board meeting on Monday, citing the “all-consuming” nature of the post as one reason for taking a break.
The announcement is a further blow for a support still reeling following the axing of 15 players last week as the club make big financial cuts after missing out on promotion to the SPL.
In a statement, Somerville said, “It is now five years without a break since I took on the chairmanship of the club. The nature of this role, at a club such as Raith Rovers, is very hands-on and becomes all-consuming.
“As a result, many other aspects of my life have been largely ignored during this time and I now want to give some priority to them. On this basis, I have decided to take an extended and complete break of several weeks over the summer.
“I would not want to portray the running of the club as being a one-man band as, with a degree of reorganisation, I have no doubt the board will more than adequately handle this situation.
“Many people in football enjoy conspiracy theories, and some may try to make up their own stories; however, on this occasion, they will be disappointed as the reasons I have stated are the only ones which have influenced my decision.”
The Raith directors also issued a statement saying, “The board appreciates the chairman’s position and hopes that a sabbatical will fully recharge his batteries over the close season.”