Kings Langley chairman Derry Edgar says talks are progressing in the search for his replacement – but he insists he will stay on if the right person cannot be found.

He has already held “encouraging” meetings with a couple of interested parties and says these talks are ongoing but he added that the invitation is still open for more candidates to come forward.

Edgar announced his intention to step aside following the village team’s third successive promotion – this time to the Southern League Premier Division, which is just three divisions away from the Football League.

It is not a sugar daddy owner they are seeking. He says the club needs a new leader with ideas, business acumen and contacts to help them keep pace with their meteoric rise on the pitch.

Edgar said: “The club is in my DNA, I have been here nearly all my adult life and I am no less committed now than I was when I first arrived but you have to know when to stand aside in the interests of the club’s continued progress.

“The job of chairman is a pivotal role at any club but, at the level we are now operating, it’s vital the holder of the role can bring the business acumen and experience necessary to maintain the club’s development.”

He insists the club, which owns its own ground, will not be rushed into a decision and says that if Kings are not satisfied they have found the right person he will stay on and do his best to guide the club in the latest chapter of their rise up the leagues.

He said: “I’m still in post and that’s the way it will be until we’ve had some good conversations and got a clear understanding on both sides about what the role is and what the expectancy is.

“We can make a fist of it ourselves but it would be good to have someone who has been there, done it and got the T-shirt. We need to supplement our off-field activities and become a bit more business orientated.

“The club’s rise has been extraordinary and I’m still pinching myself. We didn’t plan it, but football is a game of sporting endeavour and you can’t put the brakes on as such. It takes you where your efforts on the field take you and now we need to try and match that off the field.

“We’re hoping to find someone it might appeal to as a project. We are still essentially a village club but we now want to bring someone on board who can give us a bit more of a business perspective and help us consolidate at this level.

“It very much revolves around someone with business experience who wants to be involved in our fairytale. We’re looking for someone who has ideas about sponsorship and how we can market ourselves a little bit better. It does need a different way of thinking now we’ve reached this level.”

Last season the club ran at break-even figures but promotion has brought new bills to pay. One hundred extra seats have to be added and a new turnstile installed by March if they want to stay at this level. The club also has plans to extend its clubhouse.

On the pitch, there will have to be some rebuilding as well. Last year’s loan star and top scorer Mitchell Weiss has returned to parent club Hemel Hempstead Town along with Callum Adebiyi.

But Edgar has backed his joint managers Paul Hughes and Ritchie Hanlon, who he describes as ‘miracle workers’ to find replacements.

He said: “I’m sure our management with their contacts will have an able replacement lined up. Their forte is developing players. They make young players better players and that’s been the secret of their success. This level is a new dimension but I wouldn’t put anything past them.

“The managers have worked miracles. Realistically we might have hit our ceiling which is why we want to improve our infrastructure. We don’t know where the adventure will take us.”

The village people are now mixing it with some big town clubs and can expect to gain some extra revenue with more away fans visiting their ground. But the club will not be shelling out to compete on a financial level with the teams they will be playing against.

Edgar said: “We only pay the players expenses and that is still our template. In fairly short order we might have to address that but the one thing we won’t do is get into any major debt. We won’t be getting into loans or anything like that.

“We’ve got a loyal bunch of players and they all want to give it a go. The management might want to make one or two little changes but essentially it will be the same group of players.”

Anyone who wants to be considered for the chairperson vacancy should contact derry_edgar@hotmail.com