Mark Duncan last night quit as president of Highland League champions Buckie Thistle, claiming his achievements with the Jags have been undermined.

The Buckie businessman resigned as a result of a meeting he claimed was called by former club officals without his knowledge to discuss the takeover of the ageing private members' Buckie Thistle social club in the town's West Church Street.

The building has not been used by the current Thistle regime since the company owned by Mark and his brother Murray built the Victoria Park function hall at the ground six years ago, Duncan, who has almost single handedly restored Jags' fortunes over the last eight years after taking the reins when the club was on its knees, has walked away within weeks of seeing his team win the Highland League title for the first time in 52 years.

Since taking over, Mark and Murray have transformed crumbling Victoria Park into a venue fit to host last month's Highland League Cup final by refurbishing the grandstand, upgrading the floodlights, creating a hospitality suite and building a function hall adjacent to the ground the envy of most in north football.

On the pitch Duncan's shrewd appointment of Deveronvale double championship winning manager Gregg Carrol to take charge of the team 18 months ago paid handsome dividends with the elusive league title truimph last month.

Choosing his words carefully, Duncan said last night: "The timing of this is really bad as they have had 28 years to sort out this problem of the old social club and yet they chose to sort it our only a week after we had won the league title for the first time in 52 years - it is unbelievable.

"This secret meeting involved people who were on the committee when the club was in serious financial trouble 30 years ago.

"My brother, Murray, and I found out about the meeting at the last minute.  They hadn't told us about it taking place.  The whole applecart has been upset by the way they have gone about things and we're not prepared to carry on having people trying to split the club and undermine what we have already achieved at a time when we should all be celebrating our title triumph.

"Our company has invested £400,000 in new facilities at Victoria Park.  It has all been done for the fans.  We don't grudge a single penny of it and we have also spent a massive amount of our personal time in building up the club to where it is today.

"We don't really want ot walk away but we feel we have no option as we are in an impossible position.

"We feel we have to take a stand against this and if it means we have to leave the club to get it sorted out, then so be it.

"Murray and I are walking away with heavy hearts but with our heads held high."

Shell-shocked Buckie manager Carrol last night paid a glowing tribute to the man who took him to Victoria Park at a time when the Jags were sitting second bottom of the Highland League.

Carrol said: "I am bitterly disappointed that Mark has decided to step down.  He will be greatly missed.  It is eight years since Mark and his brother, Murray, arrived at Victoria Park.

"They turned around the club's fortunes and actually saved Buckie Thistle as the peolpe who were involved previously almost put the club out of business.  People should remeber that.

"Mark and Murray virtually ran the club and they will be a hard act to follw."

Story by Dave Edwards, Press & Journal, 8th June 2010