An opportunity to spend more time with family was the main reason behind Shaun Turner leaving the Norfolk Football Association, the outgoing chief executive has revealed.

The 37-year-old's resignation was announced earlier this week, bringing an end to his 11 years in charge of Norfolk FA, but with little explanation of why.

Turner has now clarified his exit, explaining that his career will be moving in a new direction, working for a family-owned toilet hire company in Norfolk.

'It's straight forward, there's no conspiracy, as much as people like to think there is!' he explained with a chuckle. 'The reason I've made the move is that an opportunity has come up to work in a family business and that opportunity will free me up to spend more time with my family.

'We have our second child due in July and it seemed the right time to take this opportunity, which I hadn't looked for but it happened for a reason. It's a complete change of career and putting the family first for once.'

Turner, who was also a member of the FA's National Game Board, oversaw the acquisition of the Football Development Centre in Bowthorpe and the building of the FDCs at Open Academy in Heartsease, also in Norwich, and at Flegg High School in Martham.

With other changes during his time in charge including referee appointments and player registrations being dealt with centrally Turner feels his successor will start from a positive situation – as the former St Andrews winger considers getting his boots back on in the future.

'I'm leaving on great terms, it's just completely my decision but it's also an opportunity which comes when I feel I have taken the traditional game in Norfolk as far as I can,' he continued.

'Traditional 11-a-side football needs new energy, new ideas to try and reverse the decline that it's facing and that is due to a lot of issues away from football, like family pressures, work pressures, Sky TV, the Premier League etc.

'But there's an opportunity here for somebody with new energy levels – I've done it for 11 years and got it to what I feel is a fairly sustainable position – with all the help of the staff and the board, but it's time to move on and time to give someone else the opportunity to take it on again.'