Former Norwich City and Northern Ireland manager Nigel Worthington has had to step away from his club ambassador role at Fakenham Town.

Worthington joined the Ghosts’ committee in January 2016 after Andrew Jarvis became chairman but has stepped down to ‘pursue non-football-related matters’.

In a statement announcing the 55-year-old’s exit, a club spokesman said: “Fakenham Town Football Club would like to place on record their sincere thanks and gratitude to Nigel Worthington, who has stepped down from the club’s committee with immediate effect, to pursue non-football-related matters.

“We as a club, wholeheartedly respect Nigel’s decision and request for privacy and with that in mind will make no further comment, but we also couldn’t let him go without our sincere thanks to his contributions over his time at the club.

“Worthy has been a huge part of things for the past 18 months, when he came into the club in the club ambassador role, at the beginning of chairman Andrew Jarvis’ reign in January 2016.

“As well as being instrumental in bringing development sides from both Leicester City and Norwich City – both of course, teams that he has previously managed – for pre-season friendlies at the beginning of the 2016-17 campaign, the club is also hugely indebted to him for the work he has done behind the scenes, from painting the walls and ceilings of the clubhouse to mentoring the many coaches and youth players within the Ghosts’ set-up.

“Once again, all at Clipbush Park would like to thank Nigel for the incredible amount of time and effort he’s devoted to the club, wish him well for the future and will no doubt welcome him back as a supporter in the future.”

Worthington was capped 66 times by Northern Ireland as a player, making over 300 appearances for Sheffield Wednesday and also playing for Notts County, Leeds, Stoke and Blackpool, where he took his first steps in management.

The former left-back came to Norfolk in August 2000 as Bryan Hamilton’s assistant, taking over as caretaker four months later and going on to lead the Canaries in 280 matches, including the 2002 Division One play-off final defeat in Cardiff and then winning the title in 2003-04 to earn promotion to the Premiership.

After leaving in October 2006 following relegation back to the second tier, he kept Leicester in the Championship as caretaker manager at the end of 2006-07, was manager of Northern Ireland until 2011.

His last spell in management was keeping York City in League Two in 2013 before leading the Minstermen to the play-offs the following season, but resigning after a bad run of form in October 2014.