HEREFORD FC acting chairman Chris Williams says it is too early to say how a new chairman will be elected following the resignation of Jon Hale.

Williams is in the seat until the club's annual general meeting in December after Hale decided that a new business he had set up could cause a conflict of interest.

The firm, called My First Match, which is run under the registered company name Greenhill Bespoke Limited, is "all about an individual’s first experience at a match – be it the team they follow, at a particular venue, or a match they played in."

My First Match then source what they can from that match, making it a completely bespoke and unique order.

The board at Edgar Street agreed that, because it's sports related, Hale could potentially use his status as Hereford chairman to the advantage of his new business and accepted his resignation.

"We will work as a board to try and develop a strategy with what we are going to do and how we are going to elect a new chairman," said Williams.

"Once we've decided what that the strategy is, we will then take it on from there.

"We are a board of six individuals and we will make a decision and, with all corporate boards and companies, we will abide by those decisions.

"As directors we've got a code that we've signed up to that says we won't take any commercial advantage from our positions in the football club.

"As soon as Jon realised that was the case, he offered his resignation, which we considered at our board meeting.

"On the basis of that, we accepted his resignation and we move on.

"It's sad because Jon's been a big part of this, but that is how it was.

"It was Jon who offered his resignation and we accepted it."

Williams said he was surprised by Hale's departure.

"I came to the board meeting expecting Jon to chair it and within five minutes, I was chairing it as vice-chairman of the football club," added Williams.

"We had a statement from Jon which we discussed at length and on the basis of that, we made the decision that we accepted his resignation.

"I am acting chairman and I've agreed to do until our AGM, which I think is December 14, although the date hasn't been finalised.

"I will take on Jon's role and work hard for the club and meet the aims of it being a Football League club."

Williams added that the club will still be run in a sustainable way and he will work alongside Bulls manager Pete Beadle and the other directors at Edgar Street.

"I wouldn't pretend to be an expert on football as Pete is, but as a fan I have an opinion and I will make sure he knows what that is," said Williams.

"Pete is charge of the football side of it and it's his responsibility to do that.

"For me, the club is run on a very strong sustainable basis.

"We all have budgets, we are accountable for them and we have to report to the rest of the board about them.

"It's run professionally and that is the way to make is sustainable.

"Everything is accounted for and every director is responsible for their particular area.

"It is a very well-run club and it is our objective that we continue in that manner.

"Jon's departure is sad, we will miss him, but the most important thing is the club and our aim is still to achieve league status.

"If we do that sooner rather than later than I think we can say we've had a successful club launch."