WORCESTER Raiders have been dealt a massive blow half-way through the season as manager Mark Owen has decided to step away from football due to personal reasons.

Owen has overseen Raiders recent climb to the top of the Hellenic League Division One alongside co-manager Karl Gormley, having been brought to the club in October after the sacking of Chris Cornes.

Former Redditch United, Evesham United, Bromsgrove and Moor Green midfielder Danny Scheppel has joined the club as first team Coach to assistant Gormley and assitstant manager Richard Upton.

You can red the full statement from the club right here. 

Chairman at the club, Steve Harris, admitted it was a shock to all at the club but wanted to reiterate that Owen has had to put himself first for the time being.

"Mark is taking some time away from football," he said.

"He has some personal issues going on in his life that means he needs to take some time out of the game.

"It comes at a bad time with us being second in the league and doing so well but he has got us here in this great position with Karl, who will take over the reigns as the sole manager at the club now.

"Hopefully Mark will come back in the new season but he has told the team and explained the reasons. He needs some time out, that is the key thing for Mark.

"But we have a great team and some great players and we just have to keep going and get back to the top of the league and try and get promotion."